Visitor
by GeMerope
Summary: Harry gets an unexpected visitor during the summer nights, who changes his perspective about everything. HPLV.
1. Part I Chapter I

Hello everyone!

So, new account, new start... :P  
for those of you who have gotten here without having read the rest of the story, or who are confused as to why this isn't written by elfinmyth anymore, I kind of needed the link between my real name and all of my M-rated stories to disappear… so this is my second account for smutty stories, haha. All of my T- and lower rated stoies are still on my old one.

To explain the timeline of this story: it starts in the summer after Haryr's fourth year, and thus Voldemort's resurrection. He has, however, already met the Order after the Tournament. -This caused a lot of confusion :P, sorry -

Disclaimer: -and this is for the rest of the story- I don't own Harry Potter or anything else you might recognise in this story, line lines from AVPM and a part of 'Beneath a moonless sky' from LND.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Visitor**

_He was the first person,_

_To smile at the 'real me'_

_To be truly accepted by someone_

_To be able to meet someone's eyes, and share a laugh,_

_hearts brimming with excitement and joy_

_Only then did I find out how something I've never noticed before,_

_could be so precious._

_I believe, from the very depth of my being,_

_that I have made the right choice.  
_(Kare Kano, Masami Tsuda)

* * *

**Part I**

Harry lay on his bed, not able to sleep because of the pain on his back. Instead, he watched the ceiling, where the shadows of the trees played. He frowned when it suddenly turned black, and fear took over when he saw a shape appear in his room. Whatever it was, to come silently in the night, it wasn't something friendly. He did the only thing he currently could to not immediately attract attention: he clamped his eyes shut and evened his breathing out, pretending to be asleep. He mentally cursed the Dursleys, as he often did, since he couldn't do it aloud. They had, again, locked all his stuff away in the cupboard under the stairs, together with his wand, leaving him practically defenseless.

Soft footsteps sounded on the wooden floor, and he wondered when to expect a green jet of light. At least then it would be over, and he could rest in peace, no longer obligated to fight in a war he never had had a choice in, or a way out of. Still, when he felt the cold wood of a wand sliding down the length of his throat, he had a hard time to not jump up and do something stupid. Strange, after so many times of thinking about killing himself… he almost sighed in relief when it was removed. The bed creaked when a weight sat down on it.

He wondered how much time had gone by. Just when he wanted to open his eyes and see who his visitor was, the weight shifted again as it rose from the bed. Something cool touched his face, tracing his cheek before vanishing. When he finally dared to open his eyes, the room was empty, and the trees in the street threw shadows on his ceiling again. He raised his hand to his face, which was still cold from the touch. "Who?" he whispered, but the only answer he got was the sound of the wind.

* * *

He watched as the red, glowing numbers of his clock changed from 00:16 to 00:17 and he groaned. He still hadn't managed to fall asleep, like the day before and the day before that and every other day here at the Dursley's. He rolled on his side, and froze again when the same feeling as the night before washed over the room, a cloak of darkness. During the day, he had believed it to be a dream, or his imagination. Now he wondered how it had been possible to deny something so real. This time the thing, -he wasn't entirely sure it was a person, since its breathing sounds ended in a hiss,- sat down next to him immediately. The cold touched him again after a few minutes of –for Harry uncomfortable- silence, and when it traced his face and hair, he came to the surprising conclusion that it was skin. Fingers perhaps. But** how** could anyone be that** cold**?

"Harry…" he almost fainted when the whisper reached his ears, almost too soft to be heard. He** knew** that voice and his mind began to race as he panicked. But that couldn't be, could it? If that was true, he would be dead already… And what about the wards? And the Order, watching his every move? But there was no mistake anymore when the thing got closer, and he could feel its breath on his face. He wondered if it could hear the rapid beatings of his heart. The constant gush of air on his neck and cheek made him shiver from the cold, together with something else he couldn't place. The hand began to stroke his hair, and somehow he relaxed very slowly before doing the one thing he wouldn't have thought possible regarding the circumstances. He fell asleep under the soft touches and the petting of his hair… He didn't notice when the person vanished, just as the glowing numbers turned to 01:25

* * *

Harry paced his room, pondering on the idea to write Dumbledore. He could not take it anymore. A week had gone by now, and every single night his visitor had come. But he could almost hear the headmaster's voice. _"Surely it isn't that bad Harry, and if you haven't got__ten__ any physical injuries, then what is the problem? _When he had told him about the abuse and starvation at the Dursleys, he had gotten a similar reaction with an added: _"Are you sure you aren't making a bigger problem of this than it is? I have seen them and they seemed fine people to me."_ And that had been that. Ron and Hermione were no option either. They would probably believe him, but they would go to Dumbledore for help. Sirius would do anything to help him, but he couldn't endanger his godfather… No. he would have to solve this on his own.

He crawled in bed, trying to not make any sudden movements. He felt his ribs. None broken… sprained maybe. Harry sighed. He should have known better than to give his uncle an angry retort when being shouted at for ruining Dudley's breakfast. He hadn't even known what he had done to accomplish the **criminal** act. Maybe Vernon had had a bad day and had wanted someone to direct his anger at… Harry smiled wryly. Now it would do him well to have something cold on his bruised skin, but it was almost eleven 'o clock. Too early yet for** him** to come.

xXx

He felt something, a warm feeling. A safe feeling. He hadn't felt anything like it in a long while. He never felt safe during summer… He knew he was asleep, or partially, but he didn't want to wake up. Didn't want to return back to the world with the beatings and the shouts. But somehow, he could not stay in his nice little dark space. He blinked slowly, and registered a soft green glow. A human shape sat on his bed, bent over him, and he studied the shape through his eyelashes. This was the first time he could actually** see** his visitor. Voldemort still looked like he had when being reborn in the graveyard, but something about his expression had changed. He was wearing one that Harry had never thought to see on the man's face. It was as if he was worried… There was that glow again, and he concluded, stunned, that his enemy was healing him. He closed his eyes again and let the warm feeling wash over him.

He was disappointed when, shortly after, it stopped. This meant** he** would be leaving… His heart skipped a beat when he thought of that. Didn't he **want** Voldemort to leave? But to his own astonishment, the immediate answer** no** went through his head. This was** so** fucked up… Should he speak? But no, he couldn't let** him** know he was awake… On the other hand, if the man had wanted harm to come over him, why heal his injuries? But his decision was already made for him when Voldemort got up.

"You should be fine now… Sleep well Harry."

The whisper made the teen shiver.

* * *

Following weeks became routine. He would try to live through the day, waiting for the night to fall. If the Dursleys had hurt him, Voldemort would heal his injuries, although he still hadn't figured out** why**. There were also various changes since the first nights, mainly regarding his feelings. He no longer felt fear. Instead, it was the sole moment of the day he really looked forward to. The only moment he felt completely at ease. Harry always tried to stay awake, which wasn't that hard to accomplish. He had never slept well. **He** always came between twelve and one, and stayed for about an hour or two. The only thing Harry regretted was that he couldn't predict the man's reaction if he showed he wasn't asleep. And thus, he pretended, while enjoying the feeling of fingers caressing his skin.

A couple of days ago, the temperature had risen over thirty degrees, and he had slept shirtless. He had decided to do that every night from now on, no matter was temperature, after experiencing heaven when he had received a two- hour long massage on his back. He had pondered on the idea of turning over, but he knew he wouldn't have been able to hide the flush on his face. Regrettable. He sighed and watched his clock before frowning. He was late. He was** never** late. Had something happened? Or had he lost interest? Harry watched with a knot in his stomach –which** shouldn't** be there!- how the numbers on his clock sprang to 01:11. eleven minutes late. Harry concluded he wouldn't come anymore, and wrapped the sheets around himself, letting a strange and empty feeling take over.

* * *

He was sitting in his room again, his arms wrapped around his knees. **He** hadn't come in three nights, and Harry was positive he wouldn't be coming back. It had been too good to last. Why should anyone care about him anyway? But then, his head shot up when he felt a familiar darkness surround him. He watched the spot on his left where** he** always appeared in fascination, and was rewarded when a dark shape became visible. Dark magic heightened the tension in the room, making the air thick. Harry only realised he should have lain down again and pretended to sleep as he met Voldemort's crimson eyes. The magic built up again when the man wanted to disapparate, but Harry found his voice just in time, yelling with a panicked voice, while nearly tumbling from his bed:

"Stop!"

The Dark Lord blinked and stopped, staring at him, even more so when Harry softly spoke up.

"Where were you? Yesterday, and the days before that…" he cursed inwardly about how weak and begging his voice sounded.

"You…you knew?" the man said, sounding shocked and tense.

It was the first time he had heard the man's voice, if you didn't count the barely audible whispers. A strange shiver ran down his spine at the sound.

"Yes. I…well, I hardly ever sleep at night." he added softly, ducking his head with a mixture of nervousness and embarrassment when Voldemort came closer. A hand reached out and tipped Harry's head back. He gasped when Voldemort forced him to look him in the eye, surprised by the kindness he found in them. Nothing like the cold, cruel looks he had given Harry at the end of his fourth year.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know how you would react." The teen answered, biting his lip and ducking his head again. He wasn't used to looking people in their eyes. If he did that to the Dursley's they would beat him because of his 'rudeness'.

Voldemort however, chuckled softly. "What would have been the worst that could happen then?"

After a long silence, Harry finally answered him. "That you would have left and would not have come back."

The hand released him and he closed his eyes, not knowing what would happen now he so clearly expressed his feelings.

"You were afraid of that?" Voldemort asked, sounding surprised.

Harry slowly nodded, and his breathing hitched when the man sat down next to him. "That first night… I came to kill you." He admitted, his eyes and voice solemn.

"I know. I felt your wand at my throat. Why didn't you?"

"I am not sure myself, but I…couldn't. And now, I'm very glad I didn't." He frowned.

"Glad?"

"Yesss." he hissed, fingers carding through Harry's black strands. They went down to Harry's face again, stroking it. Harry unconsciously leaned into the touch. "Do you like this?" the man asked. He was clearly amused, but there was also something else in his voice. Was he...** pleased**?

Harry shuddered at his tone and replied, a bit breathless: "Yes."

He swallowed heavily when the hand ghosted lower, down his throat, and slid on his chest. He was afraid his heart might jump out of it and he got a really weird felling on his skin, which ached to be touched, and not only where Voldemort's hand was lingering now. No, it felt like every part of him wanted to be closer to his former enemy. Former, since there was no way Harry could even think of hurting him. Not after what Voldemort had done for him. Not only had the man healed his injuries, but he had also –though probably without knowing it- made it possible for Harry to sleep in peace every night, and made his life during the day bearable. He closed his eyes again, but could still feel the man's burning gaze on him, watching his every move and expression on his face. –Which no doubt reflected every one of his thoughts.-

Hours went by, in which none of them spoke, because they both knew that sound would only destroy the strange...things between them. Harry didn't know how to name it. He didn't protest however, and just let it all happen, seeing how far it would go, and for how long. The only thing he did was try to get closer to Voldemort, and as long as he didn't hear any complaints from the man, enjoy it. Of course, everything had to end, and finally, -though to Harry's great joy also reluctantly-, Voldemort got up and stroked his cheek one last time before disapparating, only leaving a whispered goodbye.

* * *

Harry had feared that the wizard would have stayed away from him after that, maybe thinking that Harry had changed his mind, but his fear turned out to be unfounded when Voldemort appeared the evening after that as well. Harry thought it was nice that he didn't have to pretend to sleep anymore. And also, the man came a bit sooner, and stayed a bit longer. Harry wondered when he slept. Maybe he didn't need sleep at all...

This evening, he had been able to escape the Dursley's a bit later than normally, and when he dragged himself in his room, he was surprised to find a pair of strong arms supporting him, careful to not touch his side, which was Dudley's favorite spot to hit Harry. He groaned when he lay down on the bed and Voldemort pulled his T-shirt off him to examine the bruises that were already beginning to show. Harry sighed in relief when the pain was taken away by the now familiar pale green light of healing spells. He saw the blue on his skin taking on a healthier shade before disappearing completely.

"Why are you letting them do this to you Harry?" Voldemort asked, clearly concerned.

"What could I do? I can't escape this house and my stuff is locked away. It's not like I can hit them… and they also know I am not allowed to use magic out of school..."

"Then come to me." the man said, drawing invisible patterns on the skin of his nape. For a moment he thought about it...Why not?

"Why do you come here every night?" Harry blurted out, and suddenly, he needed to know. Needed to know the reason, needed to know if there was any reason at all, or if he was just playing with him or...or** anything**. The answer however, surprised him, but wasn't satisfying enough to his tastes.

"Because I can't stay away."

"That's hardly an answer."

Voldemort laughed on that. "True. The same reason why I haven't killed you, I think. I just don't know. And you? Why didn't you finish me off, or called for the Order's help?"

"Dumbledore wouldn't believe me, and the Order follows him. And I, kill you?… How? Without a wand that is kind of hard to accomplish. Unless I'd shoot you with my gun, but it has only one bullet and it isn't for you—"

In less than a second, he was harshly pushed on the bed and he watched Voldemort's sudden rage-full expression with shock. He wondered how he had figured it out that quickly, but remained impassive, though he was interested why the older wizard would care. It would solve a lot of his problems, no?

"You will** not** kill yourself!" the Dark Lord said, furious.

"And why not?" Harry answered him in a toneless voice.

"Because it will solve** nothing**!" he hissed, his voice a strange mixture of anger, desperation, and determination to make Harry see that it was wrong.

"It will for me."

"The easiest way isn't always the best, and it surely isn't the only one!" he continued.

"Really? Harry replied unbelieving. "Did I ever get a choice then?"

"I will **not** let you." Voldemort growled. Before the boy had any time to protest, or even to try to comprehend what was happening, he pressed Harry close to his chest and apparated.

xXx

"What the **hell**!" the boy exclaimed in shock as the both of them landed in a large garden. "What did you do that for?"

"Well, lately, I seem to do many things in a rush…" Voldemort answered dryly. "It doesn't matter now anymore. What's done is done. I can't bring you back now anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"I apparated Harry, the Order will pick up magic in no time."

"You also healed me magically, and apparated before." Harry pointed out.

"Yes, but I don't have the Trace on me. You do. With side- apparation, your magic is used as well. If they go and investigate it, they will discover **my** magic that still lingers in **your** room. The Ministry doesn't have side-apparation included in the Trace, since technically spoken, it are not the children who perform magic, but it**is** traceable, and I'm quite certain Dumbledore has taken some precautions with you. Modified your Trace or something. I wouldn't put it past him, though it isn't entirely legal."

"How can you know that?"

"I don't. I just don't want to take risks."

"Hmm, it could be the reason why he was informed of my magic so fast when I accidentally used it on my aunt in my third year. Well, that sucks. On the other hand, I** am** free from the Dursley's here…"

"Do I have to kill them for you?" Voldemort asked, his arm still around Harry's waist.

"No!" the boy exclaimed in shock, and he pulled away, staring at the man in horror, not believing that anyone would be able to make such an offer in a tone that could have been used to talk about the weather.

"Why not?" the man said, sounding truly surprised. "They abused you, did they not?"

"Are you…worried?" Harry said, flabbergasted.

"And what if I am?" he smirked.

Harry gave a startled sound as he was suddenly picked up and cradled against the man's chest. He blushed and put his arms around Voldemort's neck so he couldn't fall.

"I just don't want to cause anyone pain, no matter if they hurt me. And I surely don't approve of killing." Harry muttered

"You're too good for this world." the older man replied, smiling, but also shaking his head in disbelief.

When they reached the Manor, the door swung open of its own accord.

"I love magic." Harry sighed. Voldemort just chuckled at that. Harry was secretly glad the man hadn't needed to put him down to open them. Sure, it wasn't the warmest place possible –far from it-, or the softest, but it was, despite that, quite comfortable.

"Are any of your followers here?" he asked a bit nervous.

"A few, Lucius, Bellatrix, Rodolphus and Wormtail."

"Oh joy, my favorite ones." he mumbled sarcastically.

"Oh?"

"I've got a feud with Lucius' son, and thus with himself, Bellatrix is mental and wants to desperately kill my Godfather and a good deal of my friends and Wormtail is… well, Wormtail. Betrayed my parents and stuff. The only one I don't know is Rodolphus, but I've heard he's as insane as his wife…"

"Not really, Rodolphus is quite a nice person if you get to know him. I agree with you on Bellatrix though… she's horrible to have around. But if you can put up with **me**, surely you can put up with** them**."

"But you're different."

His breath stopped when Voldemort laughed softly and kissed his temple. He wondered if it was a good moment to faint. After a quick debate with himself though, he decided he could enjoy all this a lot more if he was awake. His mind wouldn't shut up however, contemplating about what it had meant. He had kissed Hermione on her cheek when he was really happy and wanted to thank her, and once even Ron, when he was really enthusiastic because his best friend had risked detention with Snape by getting in a debate with the git about how unfair he was acting towards Harry. And then there was that time when they had won a Quidditch match because of him. This however, seemed different from a friendly kiss...or was that just because he hoped it was? Why the hell did he even hope it was? Argh! He was becoming mad, for sure now.

The man walked up the stairs to the second floor. After a few more corridors, he put Harry down –damn-, and opened a door. The interior was really nice, mainly consisting of wine red and wood colours. Harry watched one particular wall in fascination. There were branches with some sort of blossom painted on it. The leaves and flowers rustled in an invisible wind while little birds flew silently through the branches, and their beaks moved as if they were singing, though no sound was produced.

"It's beautiful." he said in awe.

"This will be your room for the time being. I am glad it is to your liking. I will leave now so you can clean yourself up and change clothing." Harry looked down and came to the embarrassing conclusion he still wore nothing but his pajama trousers. "When you are done, come to me. We need to talk about what to do now."

"Uhm… can that wait till tomorrow? I'm kind of tired still." Harry mumbled as he tried not to sway on his feet.

"Of course." Voldemort said, and gently smiled at him again. He wrapped his arms around the boy and kissed him on his head. Harry swallowed, gathering up courage, and before the man could pull away, kissed him on his cheek. Voldemort looked at him in surprise and stroked his face.

"Goodnight Harry."

"G'night." the teen mumbled, trying to calm down both his breathing and the harsh beats of his heart –failing horribly-. In the end, he just dropped himself on the bed and snuggled under the soft, smooth sheets and blanket, soon falling asleep because of the peaceful atmosphere in the room.

XXx

Voldemort paced his rooms, unsure of what to do, which was a very unusual experience for him. He had never needed to deal with something like this. With... with **feelings.** When he had first snuck into Harry's room, he had had his wand at the ready. Just two whispered words and Potter would have been done for. And then he had come closer, and his determination had faltered before disappearing into nothingness when staring at the face of the sleeping boy. Now he knew Harry hadn't been asleep at all, but still. He had looked so... he didn't even have words for it. Not peaceful, not at all. He had noticed the sheets which had been clutched in Harry's fists, and the slow, but uneven breathing. Not beautiful either with his underfed body, though the teen was rather handsome now he had healed him and added a few nutrition spells. And still... he had had something untouchable that night and every night after that. He could not find it within himself to harm the raven-haired teenager.

He sat down on his bed and put his head in his hands, wondering what he should do about this. He had been shocked when Harry had told him he had been awake, and even more so because the boy hadn't done anything about it. Even seemed to like it... an involuntarily shiver ran down his spine, and he got that strange, longing feeling back. He needed the boy. He didn't know** why**, but suddenly, he couldn't imagine a world without Harry Potter. Preferably safe in his house, in his arms, in his...

_Circe, I can't think about that!_ He groaned mentally in desperation when realising where his thoughts had been going.

But that thought certainly brought things into perspective. His odd behavior these last weeks for example. His strange fascination with Harry and the dreading feeling that had developed over the weeks, the anticipation which rushed through him every evening, impatiently waiting until it was safe for him to visit Harry, and also the sensations that went through him when he was able to touch that skin, as if he was touching something sacred. One evening, he had been so lost in, so** drowned** in his feelings that he had stayed until early morning, and still found it hard to let go. There was no denying it. He was addicted to Harry and cared for his wellbeing, although he had absolutely no clue at** all** as to why he suddenly saw him differently.

It was strange. He had also felt something like this when facing Harry, directly after his resurrection. Not the same, but still an intense feeling. He had assumed it had been hate then, but he knew he had been so wrong about that. What was that saying again? A fine line between love and hate? By Salazar... He needed to speak to Harry. It would have to wait until morning though, pitifully. He wondered if he would be getting any sleep at all tonight.

* * *

Read and Review!

Xx GeMerope.


	2. Part I Chapter II

Harry woke up and yawned. Normally, he would have dreaded the day to come, but today, he wanted nothing more than to get up as soon as possible. However, when he let his gaze wander around the room, he heard a chuckle from beside him, and he jerked his head to the left, finding Voldemort sitting on a chair next to his bed.

"What..."

"I Couldn't sleep, so I decided to check on you. If you don't mind..." he added, smirking, and Harry reddened a bit. No, he most certainly didn't mind. But damn him if he was going to admit that! Thus, he just mumbled something and got out of bed.

"Do you have any clothes for me?"

"Of course, they're in the dresser. I had one of my house-elves bring them."

"You've got...forget it, of course you've got house-elves." Harry grumbled.

"What's wrong with having house-elves?" Voldemort asked, sounding truly surprised.

"Nothing, as long as you treat them right." Harry frowned, and even more so when the Dark Lord laughed.

"Really Harry, you are unbelievable. But there is no need to worry. I treat my elves fine. They like to serve me and they do a good job, so there really is no need for me to punish them."

"Well. That's good." Harry sighed in relief. It showed that the man was at least capable of something else than the torture and murder he was famous for, - though Harry already knew that because of the visits during the nights. -

"Harry... we need to talk." The man began as Harry got dressed. Or tried to, while hiding his nudity. It didn't really help that the man was shamelessly looking at him, and not even **trying** to look away.

"Yes... what are you going to do about... well, me?" the teen answered when he was finished with his clothing. He hated himself for the sudden fear that rushed through him. What if he would be sent back? Thrown out? Voldemort however, seemed to read his feelings and got to his feet, approaching Harry and laying a reassuring hand on the boy's shoulder.

"You stay, of course. Unless you** want** to go."

"No." He said, a bit too fast, causing the Dark Lord to look at him with amusement. "I mean... I'd like to stay. It will only get complicated if I go away, and the Order will wonder why you haven't tortured me so..."

"I'm sure that's your reason." The man smirked, and Harry turned away. Suddenly, he remembered something.

"What about my stuff? What about** Hedwig**?" he exclaimed, suddenly distressed. How could he have forgotten about her? The Dursley's would starve her!"

"Don't worry, I am certain that Dumbledore will bring her and your belongings with him to Hogwarts or the Order. I am sorry I had forgotten, but well..."

"You didn't think." Harry finished, allowing a small, smug grin to settle on his face, and Voldemort glared at him, which should have unsettled Harry, terrified him, but it only sent a wave of playfulness through him, and he glared back, starting a staring contest. He didn't blink, not even when suddenly the door opened and someone stormed in, shouting a 'My Lord!" only to fall silent when being met by the sight of Harry and the Dark Lord trying to get the other to blink first.

"What, Rosier?" Voldemort sighed, snapping his eyes away from Harry's face, ignoring the 'Ha!" from Harry's side.

"My Lord. It seems I have disturbed you unnecessarily. I came to inform you that the Order is panicking over the disappearance of their... Savior. But it seems you have it under control already."

"He'd wish." Harry muttered, and the Dark Lord sent him a silencing –but not quite meant- glare.

"Be quiet you. Oh Rosier?"

"Yes Milord?"

"Could you wake Lucius and tell him to meet me? I have some unfinished business with him."

"Of course."

"Good. You are dismissed."

When Rosier finally closed the door, after a lot of bowing and thanking –for what reason, Harry didn't know-, Harry raised his eyebrows, turning to Voldemort.

"Wow..." he said dryly. "No torture? Are you going soft or what?"

Voldemort just chuckled. -So he **did** have a sense of humour...That might shock some people.- "Why should I?"

"Dunno...holding up your 'Dark Lord image'? What do you need to speak Malfoy for anyways? "

"**That** is none of your business, and I doubt you'd want to know. Now, I'd like for you to heed some rules while you stay here." After an affirmative nod from Harry he continued: "Every locked room** stays** locked, understand? I don't want people snooping around where they **aren't supposed to be**."

"Say what?" Harry exclaimed, disgruntled.

"You have built up quite a reputation Harry... Severus can't help but complain about it every time I see him. Not to me personally of course, -I don't have time to listen to such nonsense,- but sometimes the muttering under his breath is a tad too loud. And it made me wonder...How** do **you always manage to slip away to Hogsmeade, even when you're not allowed to go there?"

"You might ask Wormtail." Harry smirked. "He'll love to be able to talk about the good old times he had at Hogwarts, for sure. And you might want to ask him why he never told you about how you can enter the castle without anyone noticing... he **does** know. And you don't have it from me, naturally..." Harry told him, picking his fingernails.

"I didn't realise that you being here automatically meant** at my side**, but thank you anyways."

"Hmm... not so much aid to the Dark Side as getting back on some filthy little rat."

"Say what, you're here, **enjoying** the company of the Dark Lord, and practically telling him how to take Hogwarts over, and you claim to be Light?" he said, while Harry noticed both the emphasis he put on 'enjoying' and the hand slowly sliding down his side. He repressed a shudder and fought down the urge to lean into the touch. Instead, he diverted his mind by answering the question.

"More Neutral, with a** slight** preference to the Dark."

"Oh? The Savior of the Light wants to be Dark?"

"I'm nobody's Savior." Harry spat out and wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I have never heard someone however, who ever **asked** me about what **I** thought about it"

"Permit me to be the first then..." Voldemort whispered. "How** do **you feel about being expected to save everyone from me?"

"I hate it." He whispered back.

"Then who says you have to continue?"

"Everyone on the Light side."

"Now, who says you have to listen to them?"

"Them."

Voldemort chuckled. "But I do not, and neither do you. And if we're not out to slaughter each other, there is** nothing** they can do about it... Especially because now, you are here with me, far away from their manipulations..." he said, and he tugged on Harry's hair so the teen was forced to look up into those captivating garnet eyes. But just as Harry's heart tried to decide between racing or stopping completely, the man pulled away. "but that is a decision you should make on your own. I believe I was explaining you the rules, no? Let's see... oh, the library. The books with a red dot painted on it, like the book lying there on the nightstand are more likely to eat you than to let themselves be read if you don't know how to handle them. And I wouldn't even try." He said in warning when Harry tried to touch it. The boy quickly pulled his hand away.

"Sorry. Habit."

"What, to touch everything that screams 'dangerous'?" he said, exasperated. "Let's see... is there anything else. Oh yes, no magic, but that is obvious, and you don't have a wand here anyways, -sorry for that by the way-. I believe that was it. Unless I have to explicitly tell you that you can't send the Order of the Phoenix my address..." he smirked.

"What** is **your address anyways? I mean, where are we?"

"Near the nice little village Stoner Hill, Hampshire. I wanted my headquarters to be somewhere... peaceful."

"How ironic." Harry grinned.

"Well, at least there is no living soul on the Light side who has evereven**been **here, let alone knows that the Dark Side resides in this village. Who will suspect it? There are tons of places like this one, why bother to check?" And it is a lot easier to organise large meetings here than in some apartment in London."

"Makes sense, but even there you could hide in the anonymity of the mass" Harry said, thinking about Grimmauld place.

"Then explain to me why I know where your headquarters is, and why the Light Side does not know where mine is?" At Harry's shocked look, he merely rolled his eyes. "Harry, please. Especially** because **they have 'the anonymity of the big city', most Order members don't apparate back to the headquarters, but walk if they want to. And the few who** do **apparate can't do that straight into the house because of the Fidelius charm. It didn't take me long to locate it. And really... it isn't concealed very well. When you suspect a building to be in a street, and –surprise surprise-, there is a number missing, it's not too hard to put two and two together. The only problem is the Fidelius charm, but I'm already working on that."

"My mouth is shut." Harry promised him.

"It better be. I have to deal with Lucius now, actually. I would appreciate it if you would stay in this room for thirty minutes without ravaging it or running off."

"That's an order to stay here, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"You sure know how to sugarcoat it." Harry grumbled.

Voldemort just hummed and walked out of the door. "I will be back soon, so we can eat some breakfast."

Harry sat down on the bed, wondering what the hell he would do in thirty minutes. He eyed the book on the nightstand, but it growled aggressively when he tried to touch it again and he decided he could better leave it alone.

* * *

Soon, Harry got extremely bored and, even though Voldemort had explicitly told him to stay where he was, his Gryffindor side won over, and thus, he was currently roaming the many halls and corridors in the manor of the Dark Lord –or, as Fred and George would probably call it: Tha Dark Lair-. Harry begrudged the loss of his invisibility cloak, as he would have loved to explore even the most hidden or locked spaces, but that was impossible now. He couldn't try to open or even find them without at least a house-elf noticing. For now, the public places –as far as the house of a Dark Lord could be considered public,- would have to suffice. When he turned a corner to another corridor however, he suddenly found another good reason to have his cloak.

"What? You… how… impossible!" Bellatrix Lestrange cried out, her mouth agape like a fish, and the teen wondered how much time it would take for her to regain her senses and curse him to the afterlife. "Potter! Oh, the Dark Lord will reward me greatly when I drop you at his feet!" she cackled madly. So much for fleeing.

"Bellatrix." He said sharply, coating her name with as much venom as he could possibly muster, all the while hiding his terror. Maybe some human psychology would work. It had worked with Dudley often enough, though he hoped for Voldemort that his followers where a bit less thick than his cousin. "Do you think your Lord… incompetent?" –step one, question the subject.-

"What the hell are you talking about Potter?" she growled, but lowered her wand a bit nonetheless, eyeing him suspiciously. –step two, throw the subject off balance-

"Well, don't you think that such a great wizard like him wouldn't notice his enemy sneaking through the corridors of **his own house**? And I'm not even trying to hide, so it is absolutely unnecessary to attack me," -step three, keep talking while slowly inching towards your escape route.-

"I don't know what you're trying to say Potter, but I** do** know that it's not gonna work!" –step four, run.- flashed through his head when she raised her wand, the torturing curse already on her lips.

Today was one of the few times he actually wanted to thank Dudley for hunting him down when he was younger. Though it had been one of the things that had made his life miserable back then, he had to admit that his reflexes and speed had improved greatly over the years. The curse missed him and he sprinted down the halls, trying to shake the insane witch off. Damn it! It was entirely unfair, he didn't even have a wand to defend himself with! Bellatrix' maniacal laughter echoed in his ears, and just when he looked over his shoulder, he bumped into someone else.

_Oh fuck._ He mentally cursed, but that thought immediately left his mind when he looked up.

"Bella.** What **are you doing?" Voldemort drawled, annoyed, and after that he hissed under his breath: "And for that matter, what are** you** doing out of your room?"

"I was bored!" Harry hissed back, "You don't think you can just lock me up in my room, do you?"

"We'll talk about this later." Voldemort said, growling a bit, beyond a doubt because Bellatrix was rudely interrupting them with her pathetic stammering of apologies.

"M… My Lord… you knew he was here?"

"Bella, do you think me incompetent?" the Dark Lord asked her, narrowing his eyes and ignoring Harry who had a laughing episode because of his wording.

"Of course not Milord! Please, accept my humble apologies!" She glared at Harry, who clacked his tongue to imitate the sound of a whip –and succeeding surprisingly well to his own amazement.

"Then you are dismissed and let me handle this."

She bowed deeply and shuffled backwards until she was around the corner.

"Gosh, you've really got them under your thumb, eh?" Harry said, more to himself than to the Dark Lord.

"Yes, and I'd like to keep it that way. Harry...please, you can't just run off like that. What if she had gotten her hands on you and tortured you for hours? I can hardly go play the good guy or something in front of them and throw myself in front of the curse."

"But she didn't get me."

"Yes, but she meant to! I am** not** joking if I say that you are not **safe **here without me explaining things to them first! No, I was not planning on keeping you in your room forever, but I had planned that for the coming day. Surely you can keep yourself busy for so long." Voldemort said, getting irritated, and Harry ducked his head.

"I'm sorry." He said, and he really did mean it.

The man sighed and rubbed his temple, which made Harry chuckle. "What?"

"Nothing... it's just that you look so... human at the moment."

"Well, what a compliment," the dark wizard said, and rolled his eyes. "You're giving me a headache, you know? Come on, I'll bring you to your room."

They walked through the manor in silence, and Harry got the insane urge to take the man's hand. The urge was stomped down, for he had no idea what the reaction would be, but it was with reluctance. Once back in the room, Voldemort clapped his hands and a house-elf, a strange, bouncing tiny one who reminded Harry of Pigwidgeon, appeared.

"Ditty, be so kind as to bring us some breakfast." he said, and she bowed her head, popping away again. When she arrived a few seconds after that with some food-laden plates, Harry noticed how hungry he actually was, sat down on the bed and started shoveling food in his mouth. He'd never been one for etiquette.

XxX

Voldemort watched the boy eye the food and swore to himself to take revenge on the Dursleys some day... purely coincidentally attacking somewhere they were shopping or so since Harry wouldn't let him kill them... Harry was too busy eating to notice his stare, and he used the opportunity to get a good look at the teen. He was still confused by all the feelings which, even by just **looking**, awoke inside of him. He had detached himself from them long ago, -or so he had thought- but now this flow of emotions came crashing down on him again, and he just didn't know what to do with it. Also, he had no idea how Harry felt, though he clearly enjoyed touch. Physical attraction however, meant nothing if there was nothing else. And even the former was strange. Normal people would never have let some snake-human touch them, even without the whole Dark Lord status or a shared past of being enemies, and yet, the boy seemed to calm under his touch. It was odd indeed. Not that Harry Potter had ever been** normal**, but still… odd.

Harry finished his breakfast in a record time and leaned back in the pillows of the bed, closing his eyes while clearly savouring the feeling of being full. Voldemort wondered just how little food he had been given in that hell hole, and made up a list of nice curses in his head, finishing with an Avada Kedavra. Oh, how he would savour their screams... Absentmindedly, his left hand drifted to the teen's face, and he slowly began to stroke the soft skin. Harry tilted his head backwards and sighed contently.

The Dark lord took this as a sign to continue, and went to lie next to the boy. After what seemed hours to him, he was sure Harry had fallen asleep, as his breaths had slowed and deepened. He was surprised that, when he shifted his arm because it prickled from the uncomfortable position and thus stopped patting Harry's hair, the young wizard grumbled in his sleep and snuggled up to him, twisting and turning until finally, he was draped over Voldemort's chest. It seemed he would have to stay here this day.

* * *

Read and review!

Xx GeMerope


	3. Part I Chapter III

Harry woke up and for a moment had no idea where he was, for he lay on a cold, flat, hard surface that clearly wasn't the bed he had gone to sleep in. Then, however, he felt it move, and a slow, rhythmic thudding came from deep inside of it. Harry froze, not really knowing what to do. He glanced up at Voldemort's face and saw that the man was asleep. Softly, Harry stroked the white skin of his nape, amazed by how soft it was. It was strange… he had never felt like this… never felt like he **belonged**, not even at Hogwarts, surrounded by his friends. And yet, the last person he would have thought of then, gave him this feeling, among others. Harry was in two minds about whether to make use of this situation, or just let it be, but his curious side won over, and he raised his hands to the Dark Lord's face, tracing it with his finger pads, enjoying the smooth texture, all the while reveling in the feeling of the arm that held him down on the man's chest, and the thought about how it would feel without a layer of clothes in between them made him blush furiously.

The position they were in suddenly had Harry thinking about how they had ended up in it in the first place. Obviously, he had fallen asleep under the touches and strokes of the Dark Lord, but why had the man remained here after? He didn't mind at all, but it made him wonder about the possibility that maybe, he wasn't the only one who had these strange, confusing feelings called love. Yes, he dared to admit it now, there was no use in denying it any longer after he had reached that conclusion. It had gone from fear and hatred to understanding, forgiveness and seeking comfort, to finally morph into caring for and ultimately love in an astonishing short time. But could Voldemort of all people, who had a seriously underdeveloped emotional range, ever feel the same? The arms that held him into place said yes, but in his head, Harry couldn't fathom how that could ever happen. He broke free of the tight embrace to clear his head with a shower and gazed down at the man's serpentine face. Merlin, something **had **to be wrong with him if he still found Voldemort attractive. He reddened when he caught himself thinking how weird it would be if he also had a serpentine tongue… and how that would feel.

"Gah!" he exclaimed, and he got the urge to bang his head against a wall to get rid of the images that swam to the forefront of his mind. Damn imagination…

He walked into the bathroom adjoining the bedroom and turned on the taps of the shower before stripping himself off his clothes. Once the water was at a comfortable temperature, he stepped under the stream and leaned back against the tiles of the wall, closing his eyes.

When he had finally relaxed enough, he got out and turned off the water. Looking around, he froze. He had forgotten a towel, and there was none in sight. Frantically, he searched the cupboards and came to the conclusion that indeed, there were none. What the hell? Who didn't keep his towels in the bathroom? Gulping, he opened the door and peeked outside. The Dark Lord was still on the bed, his eyes closed, and he could see the wardrobe from here. As if daring him, the door of it was opened slightly, and on the second shelf were, of course, towels. He slipped out of the bathroom and tiptoed towards the dresser. However, when he finally reached it and wanted to open the door a bit further, he found out that it creaked with an earsplitting sound. So far for being sneaky.

"Harry?" a tired voice said.

_Oh no, please, don't let it be true…_

"What are you…" Voldemort's breath caught and Harry didn't think he had ever known a moment more awkward than this one.

XXx

His first thought was that he should look away. The second that there was no way in hell that he was able to. His mouth got dry at seeing the boy, standing naked and dripping wet in the room. He hoped he wasn't looking **too **hungrily, but then again, he probably did. He swatted the part of his mind that screamed how stupid he was, and managed to choke out: "Harry...you better...ah...get dressed."

"Yeah..." the boy gulped, quickly pulling a towel from out of the wardrobe to cover himself with. Or tried to, rather. It was too small to cover everything but his lower parts.

When the teen started to blush heavily, he** really** couldn't take more and got off the bed, not thinking about what he was doing in case he wouldn't have the courage for it anymore. Harry got a shocked look on his face and gave a startled yelp when the man reached out and pulled the boy in his arms. He bent over to place his head on top of Harry's, and now he was taken aback, when the young wizard tilted his head upwards and crashed their mouths together in a greedy motion. He moaned, actually enjoying this sort of human contact for the first time...It wasn't that he hadn't slept with people, no, but in the past, it had just been a take-and-throw-away. Now, he had a whole scale of new feelings and urges to deal with. Happiness and relief being foremost right now. He pushed his tongue against Harry's lips and shuddered when Harry allowed him to let it slip in. Suddenly, the teen let out a laugh.

"What?" he said, and pulled back.

"Stray thoughts..." Harry chuckled.

"Oh?"

Harry grinned. "Half an hour ago or so, I was thinking about how it would feel if you'd have a forked tongue as well..."

"Forked?"

"Yeah, it could have been possible, right? I mean, you have taken on more snake-things, so why not a tongue?"

"Sorry to disappoint you."

"Nah, I think it would be too strange..."

"Good." Voldemort murmured, and let his lips ghost over the other's, his hands sliding down Harry's bare backside and hips. "You know? Now I **still** have to inform the other inhabitants of this house that you are staying here and not to be harmed. I didn't find time for it yet..."

"I dunno, can't you do that during dinner or so?"

"Yes, that is probably a good idea. Now, don't speak anymore... just feel..."

Judging from how the teen melted in his arms and fiercely kissed him back, Harry heeded his words well. It was only when they were interrupted again, that Harry broke loose.

~Figures, he's here for what, five minutes and you're snogging? You're unbelievable Marvolo, unbelievable indeed...~

~Hello Nagini,** thank** you for your ever so nice comments.~ Voldemort answered, and threw the snake a glare. ~"Sometimes, I wonder why I haven't killed you yet."~

~Tss, you couldn't live without me and you** know** it. Bastard.~

~I **could** live without your insults every now and then...~

~Ah, but then all the fun would be gone as well, don't you think? And you haven't introduced me properly yet. How thoughtless of you.~

The Dark Lord obviously tried to remain calm so he wouldn't strangle the snake, and Harry suppressed a chuckle. ~Harry, this annoying reptile here is Nagini. Annoying reptile: this is Harry.~

~I already knew that.~ They both replied, and then broke out in hissing chuckles.

~What did I have to introduce you for then?~

~Because it is polite.~ Nagini said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. ~I like him, by the way.~ She added, and raised her body so she was on eye-height with Harry. ~Pet me.~

Harry hesitantly reached out and began to pet her. Voldemort watched them with amusement. "You're going to spoil her, Harry..."

"I like her." He said, smiling at the serpent.

"Well, it's good that** somebody **likes her..." Voldemort smirked, and Harry rolled his eyes, stopping to stroke Nagini's scales in favor of leaning back into Voldemort.

"You know... I better get dressed." He suddenly remarked, and Voldemort mentally scowled, but he didn't think a 'why?' would sit well with the boy. So he sighed and let Harry go. The teen took another towel and walked to the bathroom.

~You are happy.~ Nagini remarked, with something that could only be described as a smug grin.

~Your observation skills are astounding.~ Voldemort answered sarcastically.

~Well?~

~Yes, I **am** happy.~ He admitted.

~It is good to know. I had almost given up on you finding someone.~

The Dark lord shook his head and laughed. ~You are utterly impossible.~

* * *

_Dear Harry. _

_If this letter reaches you –and since Hedwig has never failed to deliver a letter, even if she didn't have an address, I don't doubt it will- please, please tell us how you are. Is it true that you've been kidnapped by You-Know-Who? Or are you on the run or anything? Can we help you in any way? We're well, though everyone in the Order is a __**bit **__anxious because of your disappearance, and Dumbledore is being all weird again. He was the one who said you were kidnapped, but we only have his word, and well... we rather check it with you. Not that we don't trust Dumbledore, but I wonder how he could know, and Kingsley said that there was no evidence of force in your house. We volunteered to take care of your stuff, so no-one weird will get their hands on it. Oh, and we've got to say hi from Snuffles. He's more restless than ever now. At first he was pissed because he couldn't leave headquarters, but now he's practically trying to break out. The Headmaster won't let him of course, don't worry about him getting caught... And Hagrid just came in, crying in that red checkered blanket he calls a handkerchief, 'mumbling' about you getting hurt. _

_Love and all power to you, Hermione. –And Ron, but I have a better handwriting. Ron quoted most of it though.-_

"Kidnapped, huh?" chuckled the Dark Lord, reading over Harry's shoulder.

"I should tell them the truth..." Harry mumbled, and wiped the tears out of his eyes.

"Are you crying?" Voldemort said, concerned.

"I'm just happy they rather trust me than Dumbledore. They're really the best friends I could wish for. And Sirius and Hagrid..."

"Though I wonder if Hagrid will ever agree with you staying with me..." Voldemort said dryly. "And I think that counts for the rest of them as well."

"Yes, I know." Harry sighed. "But I prefer to not think about that now... I think I'll just tell them I'm safe and not to worry. That's at least** part** of the truth..."

* * *

They headed down the stairs to the dinner room. They had slept nearly the whole afternoon, and after reading that letter and writing one back, it was six 'o clock already. Harry was slightly nervous, but it helped that two followers of Voldemort knew of his presence here already, though he wasn't sure if that was so positive in Bella's case. All sounds of talking vanished when they entered. Harry tried to remain behind the Dark Lord so he wouldn't be in view too much, but Voldemort rolled his eyes and pushed the teen in front of him.

"As you can see, Harry Potter is in our midst. You are not to harm him, now, continue eating."

Harry was surprised to say that indeed, they started to eat and talk again, and he raised his eyebrows. He had expected them to stare or yell at him... Voldemort really had trained them well. They should try that with the Order... 'Hey, I brought some Death Eaters over, nothing to worry about, and don't hurt them, continue eating'... wouldn't go over well... he looked questioningly at the older wizard, who chuckled.

"They're to do as I say." He simply told Harry and sat down at the head of the table, gesturing for Harry to sit next to him. He gladly took the seat, also because he didn't have to sit next to the Death Eaters. Out to kill him or not, he still didn't like them. He saw Bellatrix and her husband; Wormtail, who sat on the opposite of the table –obviously the lowest in rank-; some guy he didn't know; Rosier from before, and to his displeasure: the Malfoy family. Didn't they have a house of their own or anything? He caught Draco's frowning glance and got the urge to stick out his tongue –but decided against it. It wouldn't do to act like a three-year old-

"So..." Voldemort began. "What did you write back?"

"Ah, uhm... basically that I'm safe and that there is no reason to worry about me, but also to not tell Dumbledore anything. I don't like the man."

"I'd never thought I'd live to see the day that** you** would admit having something against the old coot..."

Harry just shrugged. "It's his own fault anyway." He replied bitterly and poked his piece of meat a little too roughly.

"It's already dead."

"Huh?"

"The meat. It's already dead."

"Your attempts for humour suck." Harry said, laughing, and immediately noticed the shift in the atmosphere. Not from Voldemort, but his followers, who were staring at him** now**. He figured it had to be because he dared to insult the Dark Lord. He wondered what would happen if any of** them** would ever try.

The rest of the meal was spent in utter silence, and when they finished, Harry didn't really feel like hanging around some more, so he decided to retire to his room. Before he left the dining room though, he heard a voice calling out to him.

"Potter!"

"What, Draco?"

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Plotting the demise of the Dark Lord." Harry said airily. "Why?"

He laughed at Draco's stunned expression and turned around, only to be faced by said Dark Lord.

"Plotting my demise? Now, that isn't very nice, hmm?"

"If you have another suggestion of how to spend my time here..." Harry grinned, looking up at the man's face.

"I don't know... Plotting Dumbledore's demise?"

"No matter how much I dislike him, I wouldn't be able to kill him either. Or anyone for that matter." Harry said, seriously this time.

"Again, you're too good for this world." Voldemort sighed. "As for what you can do... you can explore the manor... this time** without** my followers trying to torture you."

"Great idea." Harry said happily. "Though... could you show me the library first? I didn't come across it earlier this day."

"Anything particular you want to read? It is quite a maze if you don't know your way there."

"I wanted to look more into potions. I cannot use my magic here, so I better find another hobby. I have never been very good at it, but that was mostly because Snape's tutoring skills were abhorrent at best. I might even learn something now." he laughed "And it's not like I have a lot to do here..."

"Not unless you want to help me with plans for the war no, and I don't think you're interested in that?"

"I don't know... I might stay Neutral."

"Might?"

"You can never be sure..." he said, and gave the Dark Lord a crooked grin. "You can be awfully persuasive if you want."

The man just huffed and began to walk. Harry followed, casting a last glance at Draco, whom he had entirely forgotten during the conversation. This time, he didn't ignore the urge for contact and slipped his hand in the other's, pointedly refusing to look at the man, and thus missing the surprised expression that morphed into a soft smile moments later. Harry was yet unsure of how to act. After that kiss, there had been no physical contact between the two of them anymore, leaving Harry to doubt about whether his feelings really were reciprocated. Was it merely a game? Little did he know of the incertitude that went through Voldemort's head at the moment.

They entered the library, and Harry was utterly astonished by the sheer size of it and the massive amount of books that was stored on the shelves. Not knowing where to begin, he followed the Dark Lord. When reaching the potions section, Voldemort wordlessly pulled a few books from their place and handed them over to him. Looking around, Harry spotted a comfortable looking lounge and sat down on it. Judging the titles, he saw they were all about common, Light potions, and he repressed the urge to point his eyes skyward. Undoubtedly, the rest of the books would be too gruesome for his innocent eyes...

"Won't you sit down?" Harry asked the other man, who was doing no more than walking up and down the paths in between the bookshelves. The older wizard came over and sat down. Yet, to Harry's displeasure, he sat just a few inches too far away.

The next few hours were spent in relative silence, only broken when he didn't understand something and asked for elaboration, though Harry knew he would have been able to take in a lot more information had he been able to fully relax.

"Uhm... Voldemort?" he began, unsure. The name felt weird upon his lips, and apparently the other noticed as well, for he chuckled and said:

"Call me Marvolo, Harry."

"Your middle name?" he asked, and got a surprised look in return, on which Harry just shrugged.

"Yes, my middle name."

"Alright... Marvolo. I wanted to ask you about... about this afternoon..." he trailed off, not sure how to continue. "Did it... did it mean anything to you? Anything at all?" he asked, his muscles tensing.

He took the silence that followed as a rejection, and turned his head away to hide his watery eyes, but was surprised when a gentle hand ghosted over his cheek, only to cup it and pull his head back. Harry gasped when his lips made contact with Marvolo's, and moaned softly when a tongue slowly slid against his. Succumbing to the touches, he leaned back and pulled the man on top of him.

"You don't really think I would have kissed you back then if it didn't, do you?" Marvolo whispered hoarsely, and placed his mouth back on Harry's before he could reply. "Forgive me if I have made you doubt my affection for you, but I am not experienced on this subject and the whole concept of **feeling** is foreign to me," he sighed.

"And now?"

"Now... I think I can try to let myself be drowned in them once more..." he grinned. "Admittedly, when I first acknowledged the fact that I regained some of my emotions, I was... frightened and angered. I had no idea how to cope with it, or what I had to do with it. But now, I simply **cannot** see why I should deprive myself of them again. It feels too **good** to be wrong."

He sat up and Harry followed his example, not willing to let anymore space get in between them than necessary, embracing the other man tightly.

"And what about you, Harry?"

"Me? I have always acted upon my feelings, and most of the time, that was pretty damn helpful. I know what I want now, and now I know that you want the same... why should I deny it?"

"And the little fact that I am a Dark Lord who was out for your blood until a few weeks ago doesn't bother you?"

Harry shrugged. "I had never seen another side of you than what you showed. Now however, I can see past that, and see** you**, not the terrifying image you let people believe you are."

Marvolo pulled away and looked Harry in the eyes, a pale, slender hand brushing the boy's cheek. "Image? I hate to disappoint you Harry, but that is who I I am as well, I should say. A different side of me, yes, but not an act. You cannot ignore that, for I will not give myself to anyone lightly, and certainly not to anyone who only wants a part of me." The older wizard said in a grim voice.

Harry hesitated at that, but then laughed at himself. Who was he kidding? "I know. And I shall indulge you into a little secret. These four years I was told to fight you, I always found you... intriguing. When you first told me your concept of power and knowledge, I didn't understand what you meant by that there is no good or evil. But as the years passed, I saw various shades of grey. They say murder is bad, but what if you kill to save a life? And even spells... the Killing curse can get you a one-way ticket to Azkaban, but how many **other** spells are there with which you can kill someone? There is only power, and the people who decide what they do with it, how they use it. Deep down, I have always agreed with your ideals. Granted, I still don't like killing if not absolutely necessary, but for the most part... Deep down, I always agreed with** you**. Also with that... other side of you, as you call it. And now the picture is complete, as I see the man you can also be..."

"Neutral, huh?" Marvolo chuckled, and Harry couldn't help but smile.

"Damn the neutral... My place is here, with you. If you will have me that is..."

Joy overtook him when he was pulled into a ravishing kiss.

* * *

Read and review!

Xx GeMerope


	4. Part I Chapter IV

"Marvolo..." Harry groaned. "I'm** tired**!"

"Hush, if you want to know how this organization works, you will have to go through this." The Dark Lord smirked, and dropped another pile of papers on Harry's lap.

"How could I know I was getting myself into** this** when I agreed to help you?" the boy mumbled, more to himself than to the other.

Marvolo didn't answer, and when Harry glanced up after a few minutes, he saw that the man was buried in work himself, bent over a table full of papers and books. He smiled when he saw how devoted he was for his cause, and knew that the Light was a fool to ever think they could win from such a die-hard maniac. Then, he chuckled to himself. The Light... little more than a few weeks ago, he considered himself among them... Merlin, this man really had turned his world upside down. In the right way, for he felt as if he had always had to walk on air, being caught and dragged along in the whims and moods of others, always having to please the mass, always keeping up appearances... And now he finally had found solid ground. Seeing Marvolo, he got renewed strength, and delved into the rapports, plans, sketches and other stuff he had to go through. One in particular caught his attention, and he saw it had actually been written by Marvolo himself. He didn't know if it was supposed to be in the stack, since it was torn on one side, like it had been ripped out of a book and seemed very personal, which made him wonder if the man still kept diaries.

_I have finally been able to come closer to my goal...__sometimes I wonder why I still do this, when I fall so deep and hard over and o__ver again, but moments like these__ make it all worth it. I have finally been able to rid myself of that embryonic body. Circe, I can't describe the feeling of how it is to finally walk again after __spending __more than a decade like a ghost, and after that, having to be__** carried**__ for a year by that disgusting rat. Barty was better though...__ Alas, he's in Azkaban now… __I should plan a way to get him out without raising suspicion that I have revived...__I owe him as much...__and maybe others in the process...__I hope Bel__la won't be even more insane tha__n she was._

_Of course, my rebirth got a __**bit**__ ruined by that wretched Potter boy...__**Why**__ can't I just kill him and be done by it? It is strange, I had him there, and I could have done it, but yet I couldn't bring myself to it, which is why I challenged him to a duel, in the insane, infuriating ho__pe that he would escape...Why? H__e is my enemy, and I should kill him, not let him __**escape**__. After so much thoughtful planning, I let it go to waste...But I have other things to think of than Potter right now...__Maybe I'll try to locate his home now though..._

The next few sentences were scribbled through very thoroughly, and Harry couldn't even distinguish letters, so he gave up. As he turned the page around, he saw a detailed plan of how to get to Azkaban unnoticed. He hadn't really given much thought about it as of yet, but now he almost slapped himself. He should have noticed that almost every Death Eater here was captured in the first war. He reread the first page, and found it oddly endearing. So even then Marvolo had struggled with feelings, even though he hadn't recognized them yet... Maybe it wasn't really such a coincidence that this page had been among the others...Smiling, he put it aside and started working through the carefully laid out plans, which had a lot of improvements in the side-line, written in the elegant handwriting of the Dark Lord.

Harry yawned and rubbed his eyes to stay awake, but slowly felt himself drift off after another two hours, occasionally waking up with a jerk of his head, but finally, he gave in. When just on the brink of sleep, he heard a low chuckle, and felt himself being lifted up by a pair of arms. Unconsciously, he snuggled deeper into the cold that embraced him, sighing contently before his dreams took over.

XXx

He walked through the dark corridors with the sleeping boy in his arms, and was on his way to Harry's bedroom when his steps wavered and a smirk appeared on his face. He felt** slightly** bad for what he was about to do, but he squashed the feeling with the thought that Harry had never given any indication to** not** want it... And it wasn't like they hadn't spent nights together, though the circumstances had been slightly different. Quickly, he went to his own bedroom, and put Harry softly down on the bed. Not wanting to take too much advantage, he changed Harry's clothes magically into a pair of soft, grey pajama pants before changing himself. Careful so as to not wake the teen up, he slowly pulled the covers over them, moaning softly as their skin made contact when he took the boy in his arms. He lowered his head and began to place soft kisses on the pale skin. He drew back in surprise when he heard his name being whispered, and the most extraneous feeling spread through him, his heart speeding up when he realised that the other was still asleep.

"Harry..." he whispered back, feeling all... warm and affectionate.

He vaguely wondered if he should turn his back on this... It was simply** not like him** to act like this. But he knew he couldn't, even if he wanted to. And it was not like it affected him in his behavior in general, or stood in the way with his plans for the war... It would have been most difficult if Harry had decided to remain on the Light side, and he would have had to suppress his feelings, but now... no, like he had told Harry, it felt just too good to be wrong, and he wasn't planning to give it up. As long as he wouldn't feel this giddy during meetings, it was all going to be fine...

_Salazar be cursed… Harry is going to be in these meetings from now on._

XXx

Like yesterday, he woke up in the arms of Marvolo, and he let out a shuddering breath when a hand travelled lazily up and down his spine. Only when he moved and froze from the skin-on-skin contact that the movement caused, did he register that their upper bodies were exposed, and a blush bloomed on his cheeks. He closed his eyes again when more pleasurable tingles went up and down his backside wherever the Dark Lord's fingers would graze his skin. Not really knowing what he was doing, he began to stroke the light muscled torso beneath him, and was rewarded with a moaned hiss. He heaved himself up a bit, and if the growl the other man emitted was anything to go by, it was not appreciated. He smirked and draped himself over the other man again, now a bit higher so he could bury his face in the crook of the Dark Lord's neck. A hand found its way into Harry's hair and gently pushed him against the skin even more, before descending his body again. Harry bit back a moan when it came to slide over his bottom. He heard a deep chuckle, and Marvolo rubbed him again, causing Harry's breath to speed up.

"W... what are you doing?" he whimpered, and he felt the man smirk.

"I don't really know..." Marvolo admitted. "What are** you** doing?"

Harry bit his lip before answering in a mumble: "Seeing how far you'll go?"

The Dark Lord suddenly flipped them over so Harry was beneath him and gave a husky laugh. "Then I'll just see how far you'll let me, no?"

The teen knew that they were playing a dangerous game, but he really couldn't bring himself to pull away, and instead reached out to lay his hand on Marvolo's cheek, propping himself up on an elbow to kiss him. Their tongues met and sensually slid together slowly. He let his hands travel down the muscled, cold body above him and moaned, feeling Marvolo's obvious arousal against his thigh. With great effort and reluctance, he finally drew back however, knowing he was not ready for this yet. Marvolo gazed down at him in understanding.

"Never done anything like this?"

He shook his head, afraid that the other would be angry, but he was greatly surprised when he found himself in a comfortable embrace.

"I have time." Marvolo chuckled, when sensing Harry's confusion. "I've floated around as a spirit for thirteen years, and then spent another year in a temporary body, hardly able to move by myself. Such changes the way you look at things, and does a great deal to your patience," he smiled.

Harry hummed and snuggled up to him, glad to know it wasn't a problem.

* * *

Trying as he might, the cheery grin that was plastered on his face wouldn't get off, even as he entered the dining room, which was full of Death Eaters at the moment, something he hadn't expected. Marvolo had told him he had wanted to schedule a meeting, but he hadn't thought the man would be able to get every single one of his followers alerted and instructed to come here in mere hours. But well, this was** The Dark Lord** he was talking about. The same one who had convinced the savior of the light to follow the Dark course rather than the Light in a matter of a few days. Several people who had noticed him now looked at him as if he were insane, to stalk in here smiling. He was surprised by how many of them didn't wear the usual skull masks, and vaguely wondered if it was only a standard item during raids. It made more sense, because now, it was easier for Voldemort –it really felt strange to refer to the man as Marvolo right now, when he sat on a large throne with his minions at his feet-, to identify them.

The 'you are insane' looks, quickly became 'What the hell is Harry Potter doing here' looks, and he chuckled inwardly. It seemed their Lord hadn't told them his change in sides yet. He slowed down, using the time he was walking to ponder on how he was expected to treat Voldemort. Bow down and kiss his robes? Or walk up the platform and kiss his lips? –The last one seemed the nicest option to him, but he didn't think it would sit well with the Death Eaters, and he didn't really know what Marvolo would think about it. Unsure, he gazed up at the impressive man who was seated on the throne, and Harry gave him a nod when Voldemort gestured for him to stand next to him with a tiny jerk of his head.

~Just observe this meeting. Like that, you will not only get a general view of the meeting, but also of the various people you have to deal with. Try to distinguish them by character and acts rather than by faces. You won't see them on a mission, for then they have their masks on.~

~Alright. What are you going to do about, uhm, me?~

~By placing you here, I made clear that you are above them. I won't send you out as cannon fodder or anything. However, it does not mean they will obey you. Their respect is something you have to earn for yourself. I cannot guarantee that, nor do I want to. You are your own person, and I won't make decisions for you except if you ask me for advice.~

Harry smiled and nodded, taking a step back so he wouldn't be in sight so much. He wouldn't actively participate now anyways. He knew from the many rapports he had been obligated to read that currently, the Dark sect was working on a diversion plan, to cover up the fact that the Dark Lord had indeed returned. It was slow but effective, and especially those with posts at the Ministry were working hard, intercepting letters and files and erasing any trace of evidence that could lead to the conclusion that the rebirth of Lord Voldemort was, as Dumbledore stated, indeed a fact, and also to cover up the outbreak from Azkaban.

This had succeeded, mostly because Voldemort had made a pact with the Dementors in the first war, which was valid again now he had returned. No Dementor had informed the Ministry that prisoners had disappeared, to be replaced with artificially created bodies that looked and acted like humans, but were really made up of magic. Thanks to a complex enchantment, the result of a co-operation between Death Eaters with various specialties, they even consumed food and water and needed sleep, so no-one who visited for a check-up on the prison would get suspicious about the behavior of the 'prisoners'.

Meanwhile, a number of spies had been trying to infiltrate a department in the Ministry of Magic, called the Department of Mysteries. In the first war, a Death Eater named Rookwood had been an Unspeakable, but because of the betrayal of Karkaroff, he had been sentenced to prison. Currently, he had submerged and lived in a wing of the Malfoy manor, right under the noses of the minister himself, who often paid visits and dined with the rich family. Still, Harry thought it was only a matter of time before Lucius would throw Rookwood out. Also, Voldemort had granted him the lead on the hunt for the traitor. Various of his men were already trailing the former headmaster of Durmstrang, who was trying to shake them off somewhere in Scandinavia.

Another team was trying to get as much information on the Order of the Phoenix as possible. Dumbledore had told Harry about the organization just after the Triwizard tournament, saying that he would also give them the task to make sure Harry was safe at the Dursleys. At the time, he had thought that Dumbledore finally believed his words about the abuse he suffered there, but it turned out that they only watched out for Death Eaters, and apparently only at night, because he never saw them. Not that their 'looking out' was much protection, seeing as the Dark Lord himself could apparate in and out of Harry's house every evening. Marvolo had explained the teen that the wards didn't work on him anymore since he had resurrected, using Harry's blood in the process.

Harry watched with interest how, after a general view-over of how the plans were going, Voldemort motioned for them to divide themselves in groups to work out the missions they had been assigned, together with people who had similar ones, exchanging information. Because of the exposure risk of working undercover, they had little to no contact with each other at the Ministry so it would seem they didn't have any links should one of them ever be caught. A downside was that they couldn't improvise, because they had no way of letting the others know. And that was where this moment was for.

He also noticed that Snape wasn't here. Possibly, the Dark lord hadn't summoned him on purpose, so Harry's being here wouldn't be discovered by the Order. They still didn't know what side Snape was on exactly, and thus, Voldemort tried to let it seem Snape was very trusted while giving him as little information as possible, most of it false or not important anymore. Harry knew that the man would pose a great risk if his alliance wasn't clear, especially if he was on Dumbledore's side. He was clever, sly, reserved, and a great potions master. The only one, save for the Dark Lord himself, who could brew more complex potions. Marvolo had also said he was a great Occlumens and Legilimens, whatever that might be. When he had asked, Voldemort said that it had something to do with mind magic, and that he would explain it later.

Letting his gaze wander over the tables, he decided to eavesdrop on some conversations, and picked the tables who were having heated discussions. Not only would he be able to gain the most information there, they were also too busy to notice him. This way ensured him that he would get to know the conflict points within the circles. His interest was caught by one table in particular.

"Fudge is an idiot!" one of them hissed. "If we let him stay in the office, we will never achieve our goals. He is too afraid of change to help us with the laws we need to get through."

"I agree." Another nodded. "He holds too tight onto the laws that are already established, and is hesitant to implement change. If we can get the public to doubt him, and get him fired, one of** our** cause might gain the title and pull the strings!"

"And what if someone worse will get the position?" a skeptical looking woman said, who leaned back in her chair, arms crossed. "I know that the most popular candidate would be Rufus Scrimgeour, an Auror. An** Auror**, I tell you! Do you know what would happen if he would take position as one of the mightiest men in the Wizarding world? We wouldn't stand a chance!"

"On the other hand, Lucius Malfoy has a high chance as well..." an old man with a scar on his face said.

"Phah!" another man said. "Malfoy? I would like to see him there, yes, but outside of the Ministry, not many light wizards trust him. Dumbledore knows he's one of us and will surely manipulate the mass. No, no, we should be lucky that someone like Fudge is in the office, too afraid to acknowledge the return of our Lord."

"But what of the Dark Lord himself? He hasn't yet spoken about this. I assume that means he either wishes it to stay as it is, or he has some grand scheme... I am curious about his opinion." The woman who had spoken earlier whispered, now drawing the attention of the others by leaning in and narrowing her eyes at every one of them.

"Oh? And who'll ask him, you?"

His attention was drawn by Marvolo, who watched the scene as well, undoubtedly able to follow every word they said even from a great distance. He smirked at Harry and raised an eyebrow before proceeding to walk. Feeling his Gryffindor courage built up, he stalked to the table, knowing exactly what the man's view was on the matter, having heard it just yesterday evening.

"Actually, the Dark Lord wishes for Fudge to stay where he is. She... what's your name?" he asked, gesturing to the woman, who bore a triumphant smile now and said 'Lavena.' "Lavena was right. Fudge may not want to take risks, but at least he doesn't want to see what's going on. Scrimgeour is one of the main reasons as well. He would undoubtedly gain the position, especially with backup from Dumbledore, should there not be other candidates the man approves of, and drastic changes would be the consequence. We cannot have that."

"We?" a foreign looking man said, frowning. "You're Potter, aren't you?"

"Indeed I am." He answered, and the man gestured for him to sit.

"My name is Atiyeh. Sameer Atiyeh." He said, and shook hands. "Now, Our Lord hasn't given us any explanation for your presence, so I won't demand you to answer me, but I can't deny that I am curious. What** are** you doing here?"

"Helping your Lord with his cause... I am not too sure what my role will be," he said, feeling confidential, "But I am certain I can make myself useful somehow. He and I came to an... understanding of sorts." He grinned.

"And how do you know his view on the subject of the Minister of Magic?" a young man asked, who absentmindedly carded his fingers through his short, light brown hair.

Harry thought he knew him from somewhere, but he wasn't too sure. Then, he remembered. It had been an on viewer during the third task. He had caught a glimpse of him on the tribunes, just before entering the maze. Someone who was linked to one of the students on the other schools perhaps? Or a spy of the Dark Lord, there to witness Harry's arrival. He also could have sworn it had been this man who had –probably on purpose, now he thought of it- blocked him from view when Barty crouch junior had dragged him away after his return from the graveyard. Yes, definitely the same man...

At the time, he had thought that Voldemort had only a few followers, but it seemed there were circles within circles here, many little groups, some of them higher than the others. He was sure that the six people at this table were not members of the Inner circle, but had an important role nonetheless. Valuable assets to the Dark and not people to be send on raids in masses. Each of them had their own connections, abilities and missions, and no matter how irrelevant it seemed, they were all part of a great plan. Other than in the Light side however, the people here had access to the information about not only their tasks, but the others' as well. He wondered how many members of the Order of the Phoenix knew what Dumbledore was up to half of the time, or what the assignments of the other members were.

"I know his views, because he told me." He answered smugly, and earned disbelieving glances.

"He told you." A woman with dark red hair said, looking as if he could shout 'Joke!' any second now.

"Yeah, he told me." He nodded. "While he made me read everything related to the Dark Sect, both from the first war and what he has been up to since his rebirth. It surprised me that he was able to set everything in motion again so fast."

"Most of us believed he was dead, but that did not mean we had given up on his –our- cause. We just waited for an opportunity. Another leader, another powerful wizard who could bring us together. When we got word of that he had risen again.. .we were ready to follow him again that instant." Sameer told Harry. "I just never would have thought he'd convince** you** of all people. How come?"

"Well..." Harry said, not sure what to say –obviously** not** the truth- "Don't really know if I'm allowed to say..."

"Hey, we don't have secrets in the sect!" another woman, who looked amazingly like the woman with dark red hair at the table exclaimed, and put down some bottles of really strong smelling stuff on the table before taking an empty seat.

"Yeah, come on, how bad can it be? Or did he force you or something?"

"No, no, nothing like that... I thought I'd stay Neutral until two days ago, actually, but as things turned out, and he told me more about the organization, the goals, the people... I felt like I finally had something to work for that I stood behind. And I'm also doing this for him personally, really."

"Oh?"

_Shoot, I shouldn't have said that._

"Uh, before we get more into this, what are your names? I hardly know you."

"Alright... I'm Devaki, and this is my sister, Dyanira." The woman who had last joined them said, and her sister waved. "This here is Alian," The man with the scar on his face shot him a grin, "Sameer," the man nodded, -Now he thought about it, he looked like he came from the Middle-east or somewhere,- "Lavena." The woman who had agreed with him on Fudge smiled "And Ryder." She finished, and the younger man jerked his head. "We all know each other from work." she said, without getting more into it.

"Good, at least I won't have to say 'hey you' to everyone now." Harry said.

"So, about you and the Dark Lord... You mean like you've spoken to him... personally? As in, you've been granted his presence near you?"

_If you only knew..._

"You could say that, yeah..." he said, not liking the direction this was going.

"How is it? To feel his magic so close to you?" Dyanira asked, excited.

Harry sighed, and eyed the man they were talking about, who was talking with somebody at the other side of the room. –or ordering him around, it seemed, the man bowing at his every word.- "It's great." he said, deciding to stay as close to the truth as possible. His magic is amazing... so... **powerful**. It's not really something you'll ever get used to... And he himself... he's brilliant. I don't think there's anything he** doesn't** know anything about. He's great, totally great. Can't believe I tried to fight him for a great part of my life... but that's more because I was ordered to..."

"And now you're on our side." Ryder grinned. "To think that I tried to give Barty an opportunity to kill you mere weeks ago... I'm sorry for that by the way..."

"So it** was** you! Don't blame you though... or him. I would've done the same thing if it were a Death Eater then..."

~Harry?~ someone suddenly hissed, and the group got up and bowed before their Lord after looking at him in awe for a moment. Harry wanted to follow their example, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

~Never bow to me.~ Marvolo said, and Harry ducked his head to hide a grin at seeing the warmth in the eyes of the man. ~I see you've already joined in?~

~Pretty much~ he smiled, ~Though they're really fishing about my reasons to be here, and I don't know if I'm good at lying...~

~Lie to me.~

~What?~

~Lie to me!~

~Alright, uhm...~ He took a deep sigh and said: ~I'm sorry to tell you this, but actually...I'm in love with Dumbledore.~

Harry saw it was really hard for Marvolo to not burst out in laughing. "Harry... firstly, you're a terrible liar, **luckily**. Secondly, I just said lie, not do it in a way that would give me a heart attack. Don't** ever** say that again."

"Wasn't planning on it." Harry shrugged.

"Good. ~Now, you didn't tell them anything? Not even lied in a way that could make them guess?~

~I don't think so...~ he said, peeking at the people who were watching their conversation with awe.

"Then I believe we have to rectify that." The Dark Lord smirked, and before Harry knew what his lover was doing, Marvolo had cupped his face and kissed him. Just before the man could pull away, he responded rather enthusiastically, and heard a deep rumbling sound coming from Marvolo's chest, as if he were laughing. When they finally pulled apart, Harry tried not to look too cheerfully, and probably failed.

"Come. There is someone I want you to meet." Marvolo told him, and Harry vaguely said the shocked group goodbye, before tailing after his lover, still feeling dizzy.

"I hadn't been expecting that..." he said, raising an eyebrow. "You realise that everyone saw that, no?"

"I'm aware of that." The Dark lord said, "but I'm not going to pretend I only know you, well, at a professional level. If I want to kiss you, I do. I'm not going to withhold myself because a few of my followers don't like what I'm doing. It certainly didn't stop me before, with anything, so why should this be any different? They aren't so stupid to ask me to explain my behaviour to them."

"The joys of being a Dark Lord..." Harry remarked. "I really don't mind though...I think I might even like it."

"Might?"

"I like it."

"I thought so."

"Who do you want me to meet?"

"Someone who isn't part of any of my circles, but is still one of my top ranked people. He executed several important plans of mine on his own. And with executed, I mean **executed**, because he is the best assassin you'll ever come across."

"An assassin? Why am I meeting him?" Harry asked, feeling a bit nervous.

"Because, Harry, he will help you on** your** first task."

* * *

Read and review!

xx GeMerope


	5. Part I Chapter V

"Who is this man exactly?" Harry asked, when walking through the corridors, not exactly liking the fact that an assassin of all people would have to help him with a task.

"One of my best men. He works independent from the Death Eaters though. He isn't marked either. He works for money only."

"Aren't you afraid that somebody else will pay him more?"

"I doubt they could. His price is high. **Too** high, I thought at first, but after I hired him once, just to try it, I noticed that it is fairly low. He never fails, never gets discovered, never leaves any trails that could even lead to the conclusion of murder and also never gives anyone the idea that** I** might be after it. Negative point is that he refuses to work with anyone else."

"Didn't you just say he would help** me**?"

"He thinks of you more as a... project, sorry for that, but it was the only way I could convince him. It is not like his usual jobs, not much killing involved either, but he is the only one who could erase any trails you might leave and spy from the shadows where you cannot, to see who you can trust."

"You mean I have to get back to Hogwarts?" Harry grumbled, but knew deep down that it was unavoidable. If he wanted a job later, he couldn't do that without finishing his education.

"Yes. I apologize, I know it will get difficult, especially because of Dumbledore, but you can't just stay here and hide forever from the world. And also... if you didn't get back, the world would panic. I know you don't like to be seen as the hero of the Light, but you must accept that that is how people see **you**."

"How will you get that man into Hogwarts?"

"Filch will be... retiring this year..."

"You're going to kill him off?" Harry said, shocked. He didn't like Filch, not at all, but killing was so... drastic.

"Harry, if you want to be at my side, then you really have to get over the killing issue. I won't attack your... **family** because you think their deaths would be unnecessary, but this one isn't. You need someone to watch out for you at Hogwarts while you fulfill** your **tasks, which I will explain to you later. You can't be bothered to watch your every step there. It would be too slow, and you have eyes on you everywhere. Arve can make sure they will see nothing."

"Arve? That's the assassin's name?"

"Yes, Arve. I have no idea what his family name is though, or even if he has one. He also calls himself Eyolf. A code name or something. He likes it better."

"Why doesn't he just use his normal name?"

"Why did I change my name to Voldemort?" Marvolo said, and Harry knew it was a rhetorical question. "I wanted to forget my past and ancestors. Maybe he wanted the same. I don't know, and I am not going to ask him. I give him tasks and he executes them. That's all there is. I know nothing about him, he knows nothing about me but that I am a feared Dark Lord who can give him large sums of gold. Maybe you can get something out of him, but I doubt it."

They entered Marvolo's office, where the man was already waiting for them. Harry eyed him warily. He was of medium height and wore a thick, grey cloak as if being in the coldest place possible, his hood drawn over his face. Around his middle was a leather strap with various knives, and Harry was quite sure that there would be a whole lot more of them hidden on his person. Marvolo walked around the desk and sat down in the chair, summoning another chair from the side of the room to stand next to him, on which Harry seated himself.

"So this is the child?" the man asked in a hoarse, whispery voice.

"Yes. You are to watch out for him, give him every piece of significant information you come across, and erase his trails."

"What are the extra circumstances?"

Voldemort frowned, confused. "I'm sorry?"

"The price is higher than normal, yet I see no real risks. More the opposite. I haven't had such an easy task in a long while."

"Ah, yes. That is because I was not sure you would want to take it. You see, the position Filch is currently in, is that of a janitor. I'm sure you will have loads of fun punishing kids and using the job to gather information at night, but the important thing is that never, in the whole history of Hogwarts, there has been a wizard as janitor. Wizards can get better jobs, and Muggles can't see the castle, so the position has been filled by Squibs since the beginning."

A few moments of silence went by, before the man spoke: "You want me to stay there for a year, while not doing** any** magic?"

"In public, yes." Voldemort said simply. "The only people who could be easily disposed of inside of Hogwarts normally, without raising too much suspicion, are the janitor and the ground keeper. You could always go for the position of Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, but then you would be occupied most of the time. Precious time in which you can't fulfill your duty. Same with the other jobs there. As ground keeper, it would be strange if you got inside of the castle, and the current one wouldn't just quit. There is no way he can vanish without getting Dumbledore on our tail. However, while hunting in the shadows, you will be able,** have to**, really, use magic."

Arve seemed to ponder on it for a while, and Harry was really surprised that the Dark Lord didn't force him to take the employment. He must really need, or respect the man. Judging from what he said earlier, Harry thought both.

"I have lived as a Muggle for months a few years ago for a mission, completely devoid of any contact with the Wizarding world. A year as a Squib will not be too bad, especially because I can practice magic when I am out of sight." he said. "Six thousand Galleons a month?" he asked, and got an affirmative nod. "I'll do it."

"Good." Voldemort smirked, and gave him a paper. Arve signed it with something that really looked like blood, and the parchment glowed a fraction of a second before returning to normal again.

"Can I talk to the boy for a while?" Arve asked.

"You can wait in the lounge. I need to speak to him first."

The man nodded and got up, striding to the door in a fluid motion that gave away his profession.

"So." Marvolo said, and turned to Harry. Do you think you can work with him?"

"I have to, no? I can't yet say that. I need to get to know him first. Maybe if I speak with him, I can determine that."

"Very well... Now for** your **task. There are two actually. The contract of Arve... or let's call him Eyolf, for I'm most certain you have to get used to that, contains more than just following you. He too has several small tasks that I needed to get done. These things I didn't want to bother you with, but you have to check up with him because of it. He won't be able to aid you 24/7." On Harry's nod, he continued: "Do you know what a Pensieve is?" Harry frowned, but nodded. He had broken into Dumbledore's Pensieve last year. "It is bowl that is used to store memories" he said.

"Exactly, wait, I'll show you mine."

He got up and opened a cabinet with a few spells, carefully taking a large stone bowl out of it that was filled with swirling silver strands. He placed it in front of Harry. "As I'm sure you know then, every one of these strands is a memory. When not in the bowl, they are stored in little flasks or vials. Knowing Dumbledore, he has labeled them..."

"Wait, Dumbledore?" Harry said, sitting on the tip of his chair, fascinated by the bowl, which contained memories of one of the most brilliant and dangerous men on earth.

"Yes, Dumbledore. Severus told me he has a Pensieve. I want you to get inside of his office, find his flasks with memories, and make a list of them. You will send it to me, and I will determine which ones I deem important enough to have. Afterwards, you have to get in there once more and copy those memories for me."

Harry was absolutely baffled. It was a good plan... but how the hell would he be able to get in unnoticed? "Why do you think I can do this?" he asked.

"If Dumbledore trusts anyone, it is you. You will have to make up a great story for where you were this summer, but I will help you with that. Secondly, you have the trust of his bird, who won't see an attack from you coming. Dumbledore can communicate with that Phoenix, one of the main reasons why he is kept in Dumbledore's office. It is high likely that he spies on anyone who visits. Thirdly, word has reached me you have an invisibility cloak?"

"Yes, the Order has it now, but I am certain I will get it back as soon as possible."

"Dumbledore can see through that object, but the phoenix doesn't, and neither will anyone else. Just spy the entrance until someone goes inside to get the password. Severus has told me that the old coot only changes it once every two weeks."

"I think I'll be able to get it. I already know where the Pensieve is, so the memories won't be far away. How will Eyolf be able to help me?"

"By performing spells you cannot. The gargoyle that guards Dumbledore's office has a recording charm of everyone who got past it. He will alter those records. Also, people who might see you on places you shouldn't be will have to have their memories altered. If you need to get somewhere, he is able to insert false memories in people's minds, to provide you with an alibi. Lastly, I will give him certain tools to guard that will help you. You can't keep them yourself. It would be too risky, and some of that stuff is forbidden. You would never get it past the gates."

"Alright. What about the other task?"

"Next year, I want to recruit some students in Hogwarts. I can't yet start with that right now, for I don't know who wants to join, and, more importantly, their motives. Lucius will also tell Draco this. I know you have your differences, but with this, I need you to work together. I am sure you will need Eyolf's help here greatly. You have to escape your friends to meet up with the boy regularly. Do you think you can work with Malfoy?"

Harry sighed deeply. "I hate his guts, and he mine. But I will be able to put my hate aside for our cause. I just hope he will do the same."

"Good." Marvolo smiled. "I really need this. If I can't be certain of the loyalty of my future followers, then our goal is doomed to fail."

"Am I expected to spread word of the true goals of the Dark, instead of the rubbish Dumbledore is spouting?"

"No, it will be too suspicious. No-one but Eyolf, Draco and yourself, will know of your loyalties. And Young Malfoy only under a blood-oath, sworn to me personally."

"Didn't you just say Lucius would tell him?"

"He already knows of **you**, just not of his mission with you."

"So basically, you want me to spy on the students together with Draco?"

"Yes. He though, will be more vocal, while you will watch their reactions in the shadows. Most if the time, their faces say more than their words. You might want to ask Eyolf about that."

"Okay. Was that it?"

"For your tasks, yes. You are, however, not done here yet."

Harry raised his eyebrows as the Dark Lord motioned for him to come closer. He got up and went to stay next to the man, confused. He barely registered the smirk that broke through the stoic mask in a flash, before he was pulled down in Marvolo's lap, where lips immediately began to suck at his skin. Teeth grazed his nape, and he laughed, not having expected such playfulness from his lover. He hummed, and reveled in the feeling of fingers ghosting over his skin and sliding under his shirt. It brought back memories of the nights in which he would silently be waiting for cold touches to dance over his skin, willing himself to lay still. Now though, there was no reason anymore to be secretive or lie still, thankfully, and he shifted his position to lick the man's lower lip. When his tongue was sucked in, he used the move to explore the other's mouth. Lovingly, Harry caressed the side of Marvolo's face, and broke the kiss to be able to stare down at him.

"I also wanted to ask you something else..." Marvolo said, looking at him pensively. "I had forgotten, but in the library, didn't you say something about knowing a way to get inside of the castle?"

"Yes... why?" Harry said, confused about the sudden conversation.

"Several reasons. Sneaking in under Dumbledore's crooked nose would be really nice, not to mention you would be able to give me information a lot sooner than it would be in letters. Also, like this there would be no chance of the information being leaked. And thirdly... I... I don't like the idea of you being away for so long." he said, murmuring the last part.

A warmth grew in Harry's chest, and butterflies seemed to try to break through the walls of his stomach. He would be missed... For the first time in his life, there was someone who cared enough about him to know he would miss Harry. He hadn't thought about suicide ever since Marvolo came into his life, but now he remembered the endless, lonely nights, in which he had lay on his bed or the ground, sobbing and piercing his nails in his chest to get rid of the aching feeling of loneliness, now and then glancing longingly to the wardrobe, in which he had hidden his gun, his only way out. Tears formed in his eyes in happiness of the knowledge he was cared for now, and he threw his arms about Marvolo's neck, pressing himself close.

"Harry? Are you alright?" the man answered, distressed. When Harry didn't answer, he felt a gentle prodding in his mind, and let down every wall he had ever built up, inviting him.

_He was standing in his own room, looking at himself, and felt the presence of Marvolo behind him. It wasn't one of the worse memories, not by far, but he still remembered how he had felt at that moment. Harry watched himself, sitting in the center of the room, staring with blank eyes at the wall. He hadn't thought how it would look to an outsider then, but found it wasn't pretty. Dark liquid seeped from his arm, where his skin had been pierced by his own grip, trying to keep himself from shattering inside by using pain.__.__. Harry recalled he had only noticed it hours later back then, when he had woken from his stupor by yelling from downstairs. The man behind him hugged Harry to his chest and turned away from the scène, obviously having seen enough already._

When the man pulled back, he didn't know what else to do than to hold the boy close.

"Harry?" he asked again, and kissed the teen softly when Harry looked at him.

"Yes?" the teen said in an unstable voice.

"I want you to know that I have come to care about you more than you might know... more than anything I have ever cared about..." Voldemort took a deep breath, knowing that for the first time in his life, he had someone who was with him for who he was, and also knowing that it would be the first time he had someone he could sincerely confess his feelings to without the fear of it backfiring somehow. "I love you, Harry." he said, and just held him as close as possible, not expecting anything back, really. However, he was surprised and severely touched when Harry spoke up.

"I love you too" he whispered, and pulled Marvolo's robe a bit back, exposing a bit more of the skin on one of the shoulders so he could press his lips to it. After some silence, Harry spoke again, changing the topic back.

"About that way inside of Hogwarts..."

"Yes?"

"There is a trapdoor in the cellar of Honeydukes which leads to a secret tunnel, going under the wards of Hogwarts, leading to the castle."

"I'll promise to make good use of it." Marvolo smiled, and leaned his head against Harry's. "And now... you better make yourself presentable, love."

"Why?" Harry said disgruntled, though his heart made a lurched at the way he was addressed.

"Because there is an assassin waiting for you. And everyone knows they aren't the kind of people you should keep waiting. They might not like it..." the older wizard whispered. Harry sighed deeply and reluctantly left Marvolo's lap, straightening his robes and trying to fix the mess that was his hair a bit.

"Then I suppose I should be going..." he mumbled. Knowing he would be here for another hour if he gave in to the temptation of kissing his lover again, he just gave him a wholehearted smile and walked out of the office, trying to get his emotions from his face, beginning with wiping the remnants of tears away. In front of the door of the lounge, he took a few moments to recollect himself and walked in, his outer appearance calm.

"So. Potter, I assume?" Eyolf asked, more a statement than a question though. Harry nodded and sat down opposite of the man. "Did the Dark Lord inform you about your missions yet?"

"Yes, I have to-"

Eyolf raised his hand to silence him. "I already know. Lucky for you, or I would have to scold you for your thoughtlessness. The more anyone besides you knows, the more can be found out by outsiders. I, for example, will not involve you in** my** tasks, seeing as they are not relevant to you. Never tell anyone lightly about your tasks, not even if you think they should know. The Dark Lord will decide who should be told, understood? If you really need someone to do something and you think they can be trusted, it is alright, but** never** reveal more than they should know for that moment. Don't reveal the whole scheme. Not to anyone, understood?"

Harry nodded, taking the words to heart.

"Good, now that you understand, I can get to the point of why I wanted to speak to you. I want you to have an idea of what I will be doing: I will look out for you, and you can come to me if you come across trouble or need to get done something you are unable to do yourself, got it?"

"Yes sir." Harry answered.

"Very well... besides yourself, I am the only one aware of what you should do. I know you have no experience in this, so don't hesitate to come to me with any trouble you come across." the man said, on a friendlier tone now.

"I have to admit that I am not familiar with anything like his, but I will try my best. Can you perhaps give me any tips? You know, on how to stay secretive and the like?"

"Alright..." he said, and raised his head, stroking a grey, wild beard while thinking. "Firstly, always act on a worse-case scenario. That way, you'll be prepared for everything, and the execution of your plans can only turn out to be more positive than you thought. Secondly, don't act on the spur of a moment. Think every step through. Try to erase the trail of a step you take by the next one, or better yet, cover it with the one before it if you can. Lastly, use everything you've got. Any skills, any tools. It doesn't matter if you think of it as 'cheating' or 'low'. Use it. Because it is only your goal that matters, not how honorable you achieved it. Got it?"

"Yes... sir, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"Why have you agreed to this? I know you normally work alone."

"Ah, but I do work alone... even now." he said with a thin smile. "Potter... I am not working** with** you at the moment. I am working** for **you. Understand the difference? You are a... project."

Harry laughed, and the man raised his eyebrow. "Well, I'm glad you're honest with me. I already knew that actually..."

"Then why ask?" It was a rhetorical question. Harry knew that the man knew the answer, but he said it nonetheless.

"A test."

"Well, I hope I passed?"

"You did. I can work with you. Or let me say, let you work **for** me."

* * *

_Hey pup._

_I just needed to write you. Hermione and Ron said they already were able to sneak a letter through the security, and have just received your response. We're all glad you're safe, of course, but it makes me wonder where you__** are**__? To give you a little update on life here: Everybody is nervous, and Herm, Ron and I are pretending we are. Dumbledore seems to have gone insane. He has forbidden anyone from trying to reach you until he found you. Why? I don't know. You're obviously not kidnapped as Dumbles says you are, judging by your letter. We don't really know what it is that he is doing to find you, but he's gone most of the time. Personally, I don't really notice much of the heightened security around the place. I couldn't leave anyways. Ron and Herm are fine. They haven't had any argu__ments__ since they were here, and it seems to me that they are rather fond of each other...__what's your opinion?_

_Hold tight,  
Snuffles._

"Will you tell him?" Marvolo asked, and Harry bit his lip.

"I don't know. He's from a Dark family, but he has followed the Light from since the time he was twelve or so, not to mention that he has been an Auror. He won't take kindly in my decision to help you, I think. On the other hand, the most advice he has given me in the past have the lines: 'Be Happy' in it somewhere. I think for now, I have other things to concentrate on. I'll try to keep him happy by writing a bit about how I am without giving him any concrete information. It will be more difficult at Hogwarts, when Ron and Hermione are there, to hide my story..."

"Harry, remember this: I trust you to make a good decision on this. I you think they can be trusted, it is alright to give them the answers they want, as long as you will not reveal any of your tasks, or Eyolf's role, because that could bring the Dark in danger."

"I know. I'll think about it..."

"Good. I have somewhere to go for the afternoon. I trust you can stay alone for a while without getting in trouble again?" Harry huffed, pretending to be offended, and Marvolo chuckled. "See you tonight, love."

Harry shivered, and ducked his head to not show he was blushing.

* * *

"Yo!" someone said, and Harry looked up from the book he was reading, only to see a woman with dark red hair standing in front of him, her hands at her at her sides. She looked like she was hovering, and only when Harry looked at her feet he knew why. She was leaning forwards while standing on her toes. It was one of the Death eaters he remembered from the meeting.

"Devaki?" he asked, unsure if it was her or her sister.

"Uhuh. What are you doin' here?"

He lifted his book so she could see the cover, and she rolled her eyes. "I can see you're reading. but what're you still doin'** here**? I mean, don't you have somewhere to go? Missions and the like?"

"No, not yet."

"Hmm, that makes two of us..." she said, and ungracefully slumped down on the couch, next to him. He rather liked her. He wondered if she was even Slytherin. She seemed to be way too bold for that.

"So..." she began, getting a Cheshire grin. "It seems there is more to you than meets the eye Mr Potter... Do you know how many women have tried to seduce our Lord?"

"Do I want to?" he grumbled.

"Probably not, but I'm sure you want to know how many succeeded. None."

"And how many** men** tried and succeeded?"

She frowned at that. "Sorry, no idea. why don't you ask him?" she joked, obviously seeming to believe that even the mere thought was hilarious.

"Maybe I will..." he said, a sly grin crossing his face, and she abruptly stopped laughing.

"Are you insane or just a masochist?"

He laughed at her expression. "I highly doubt he will curse me for it."

"Oh? Why, he's expressed his** love **for you Harry?" she sniggered on a sarcastic tone, and he made sure he got the most dreamy expression he could muster.

"Yes... oh, he's so cute..." Okay, maybe he shouldn't be saying things like this, because it would probably piss Marvolo off if he were to ever find out, but he knew the chances were slim. The silence that followed was deafening, and he hummed, returning to his book.

"Definitely insane." she mumbled, but he heard it nonetheless.

"So sure?"

"**Yes.** And welcome by the club, by the way." she said, smiling brightly.

"Who's in it besides you? If you say Bellatrix, then I'll kindly say **no**"

"She probably should get an honour seat in the insane club, yeah... but she's too much of a bitch to be invited. Nah, the club exists of me, my cute little sister and Alian. We tried to convince Ryder and Laveena to join, but they refused, the little bastards. But we love them anyways... And of course, there is Sameer, but no-one dared to invite him officially. Between you and I, though he seems collected most of the time, he's the nuttiest us all." she grinned.

"Consider me in." Harry smirked. I'd love some people to socialize with. Where are the others by the way?"

"Laveena fell ill, and Alian made up some lame excuse about having an appointment, but we all know he's probably sitting at her bedside, holding Laveena's hand. They're not so subtle about it, though they think they are... The rest is on a mission."

"Ah, and thus, you decided to annoy me?"

"Hey, don't get too cheeky, eh? I have some curses that need to be practiced..."

"Really? I'd love to learn them." he shot back, and her eyebrows raised.

"They ain't pretty."

"You're a Death Eater. I hadn't expected rainbows and fluffy rabbits to come from your wand."'

"Good. Have you been in the training room yet?"

"Nope... but I'd love to see it."

"Then let's go..."

* * *

After hours of learning some pretty nasty curses later, Harry was exhausted, and even Devaki admitted she was tired. Harry grinned. It had by far been one of the best lessons in his life, and he had actually been able to perform some of them at the end. He'd always had a knack for Defense, but now he noticed the same was true for the Dark Arts themselves.

"You're a good student Harry, congrats." Devaki complimented him, grinning while she was catching her breath, sitting out the rush that Dark magic evoked.

"And you're a brilliant teacher." he said, trying to get his heart from beating out of his chest because of the adrenaline rushing through him. "Particularly that whole 'I shoot and you try not to get hit'."

"Is that sarcasm I hear? Do you not approve of my methods?" she asked sweetly, and Harry barked out a laugh.

"It's just that you're sometimes a tad too enthusiastic.'

"Well honey, I'd say: Deal with it."

"When's the next lesson?" he asked, curiously.

"You are one strange creature, Harry Potter..." she said, shaking her head. "If you want to continue these sessions... what about the day after tomorrow? There's another meeting planned. Just a short one this time, and not for everyone, but I've been summoned. I could teach more after it, unless I get assigned an urgent mission."

"I understand. Thank you anyways."

"Don't mention it. I find you rather interesting. I do this as much for myself as for you."

"Wouldn't be fun otherwise, agree?"

"We've got like minds, you and I, like minds indeed... till then, okay?" Devaki said, and waved before walking out of the room.

Harry crawled up from the stone floor where he had been lying, and noticed it was late. He wondered if Marvolo was home already. Rubbing his eyes and yawning, he walked to the stairs to go to the bedroom, but suddenly halted in front of the marble staircase. Where the hell was he supposed to sleep? The first night, he had been appointed a room. After that, he and the Dark lord had happened to be in the same room when falling asleep, and last night, he had been brought to Marvolo's bedroom –which only occurred to him now, actually...- He didn't want to breach the man's privacy, but he didn't feel like sleeping alone either. Making a decision, he walked up the stairs to the second floor and walked to the bedroom of his lover, only having to think about where to go once. He was glad to be able to find his way here without getting lost so soon. He had thought it would take longer. There were an insane number of unused rooms. When he finally opened the door, he saw Marvolo was asleep. He snuck inside, rid himself of his clothes and crawled under the sheets.

* * *

Read and review!

xx GeMerope


	6. Part I Chapter VI

It was strange for him to see the older man asleep... he suddenly looked vulnerable, though Harry was sure that, even when asleep, he had taken his measures to not be killed or anything. Marvolo was lying on his side, his face towards Harry, and the boy hesitantly touched him. When the man didn't stir, he snuggled closer, and lifted and arm so he could drape it around himself. His fingers glided over the soft skin, and he felt his face getting hot when his mind drifted off to the more physical part of their relationship. He gnawed his lip, not really knowing what to think of it. Was he ready for that? He hadn't ever been with another person, so to jump at the first person he loved mere days after they got together seemed somewhat desperate. On the other hand, he** was** desperate, so did it matter? Also, he didn't know exactly what 'doing it' was between men... He knew of a few gay couples in Hogwarts, but he hadn't been close to any of them, and they certainly didn't shout their sex life out to the world.

And finally, just this morning he had indicated that he wanted to wait some longer. Surely** some longer **wasn't one day, but now, he regretted his actions from before. He had said no too soon, to his own opinion, but he had kind of panicked and acted in a rush... He groaned in frustration and wrapped his arms around the dark wizard's torso, pulling them close. In his sleep, Marvolo's grip tightened, and Harry pressed his head against the chest, which slowly rose and lowered with breathing. A few minutes, he succeeded to calm down his turbulent thoughts by listening to the low, slow thudding of Marvolo's heartbeat, but then they began to stir again.

_What if I'm too young for this? What if I'll regret it later? What if something goes wrong? What if I'm terrible at it and disappoint Marvolo?_

Especially the last kept nagging him.

"Aah! I'll never fall asleep like this!" he growled, frustrated again, and thumped his fist against the thing that was nearest to him... which happened to be someone's chest...

Startled, Marvolo woke up, and immediately gazed down at Harry in shock, who was blushing with embarrassment.

"Did you just hit me?" the Dark Lord said, abashed.

"Uuhhh... it was sorta an accident."

Marvolo, who had gotten over his surprise by now, suddenly quirked an eyebrow, and while Harry wondered why, the arms he had been lying in released him in favour of sliding down his body.

"W... what are you doing?" he said, tensing.

"Are you... naked?" he said in a strange voice, while the palms now slid over his behind and thighs

"Maybe?" he said, squeaking a bit when the Dark Lord got a lecherous grin on his face.

"Changed your mind? To crawl into my bed... and like **that**..."

Harry whimpered and let his head fall on the other's chest with a loud 'thud', not able to stop blushing like mad.

"I don't know..." he confessed. "I don't know what I want... whenever I see you, I feel like I can't control myself, but then again I'm afraid what might happen..."

Marvolo ruffled his hair, and Harry smiled up to him. He sighed when he was embraced by a pair of cold, strong arms, loving the feeling of their skin on skin contact. He felt his lovers chin come to rest at the top of his head and he closed his eyes, relaxing in the hug. Hands absentmindedly stroked his waist, and he did the same at Marvolo's back, getting a bit of a problem in his lower regions,and knowing that, should he look under the sheets, there would be another one hidden under them, dangerously close to his.

"Harry?" the man whispered, and the teen looked up in lustful eyes.

"Yeah?" he replied meekly, his 'problem' twitching a bit and his stomach filling itself with butterflies.

"Lie down. On your back." he ordered, amusement in his voice.

Both confused and with anticipation, Harry did as he was asked. He took in a sharp breath when the sheets were thrown back so it only covered his lower half. Hands traced the curves of his body from behind him and he arched his back, trying not to listen to the annoying voices in his head that told him to put an end on this.

"Ah...ng...ah, AH!"

He couldn't find anything to grasp onto, so he reached for the man that was now hovering above him, gripping the waist when palms reaches his genitals, brushing over his length. He didn't dare open his eyes anymore, not sure if he wanted to see the erection that was undoubtedly in front of his face now. He felt Marvolo lowering himself and Harry impatiently jerked his hips upwards, for the hands were now stroking his inner thighs, not coming close enough to where he** really **wanted them. He cried out as, unexpectedly, something wet and hot engulfed his cock. Despite not wanting it, his eyes shot open in shock, and he almost died in pleasure at the sight of his lover hanging above him, his knees and thighs against the back of Harry's head, and expertly licking the top of his penis. He spread his legs and tried to buck his hips into the mouth, but he was firmly held down. He mewled, wanting more, rational thoughts all forgotten.

"More..." he groaned, and he felt the lips curl into a grin before softly beginning to suck him.

Dizzy from pleasure, he lay back, trying to comprehend what was happening. He was rock hard now, and felt his release coming near. He released Marvolo's waist with one hand and the teen propped himself up on an elbow, banning any thoughts as to **why** he was about to do **what **he was about to do, and bent his neck backwards. He stuck out his tongue and let it trace the hard, throbbing shaft of his lover. He flicked it over the head, tasting the sticky fluid, finding it to not taste as awful as he had thought. Bitter and salty, but not unpleasant. In his position, it was impossible to take the length in his mouth, so he just continued to take long licks. Judging from the shuddering body above him, it was appreciated. The Dark lord moaned, and the sound went directly to the base of Harry's cock. His balls tightened and he panted with the need to come.

"Please," he begged breathless, beginning to fondle the man's sacks as his tongue, never ceasing to lick up and down the length. Bending his head in an awkward angle, he placed wet, open-mouthed kisses upon the weeping head. The sucks increased, harsher and faster, and he cried out when he came, shooting his seed into Marvolo's mouth, who sucked it up, milking him till the last drop. The man released the softening dick with a popping sound and licked the boy clean. Then, it occurred to Harry that the man himself still hadn't found release, so he shoved his tiredness aside and his hand reached upwards, curling around the neglected appendage. He rubbed his palm against the slick top of it and very carefully, so he couldn't hurt his lover, scratched the slit with the nail of his thumb. A long, strangled moan followed the action, and he grinned.

Withdrawing the finger, he jerked the skin up and down, while prodding the perineum with his other hand. A few jerks later, his hand got soaked in cum. Shy, he rolled a bit away so it wouldn't drip on his face, but, being trapped under the other, who was now trembling from exhaustion, he didn't succeed entirely, and he felt a blush rise again when he imaged how he must look. Marvolo rose and shoved back a bit so he was on the level of Harry's face instead of his lap. He licked his lips when seeing Harry, who had lifted the wet hand to his lips and was teasingly licking the semen off it, his mouth a weary grin. Marvolo gripped Harry's hand, covering his own in cum, and then rubbed the teens nipples. When Harry saw Marvolo's penis was twitching again, he let out a laugh.

"Are you insatiable or what?"

"You can't blame me..." the man all but purred, dipping his head down so he could plant a kiss on his beloved's lips. "You just look so... delicious."

"I'm tired."

"Then sleep."

"But... what about..."

"I'll take care of that myself."

"'Kay... night." Harry yawned, and curled up, instantly falling asleep.

XXx

After finishing again, the man looked lovingly down at the boy, hardly able to believe what had just occurred. Merlin, he had had some lovers back at Hogwarts, and even a few after that, but none had been able to turn him on like this. Even now, asleep, Harry looked absolutely ravishable. He cast a cleaning charm on both himself and the black-haired teen, and lay down next to Harry, cradling him in his arms, and, not able to resist, placed one of his legs in between Harry's. His mouth latched onto the teens nape, nibbling on the deliciously smelling skin and affectionately bit it. Making sure all of Harry's body was pressed against him somehow, he closed his eyes as well

* * *

Harry woke up to an empty bed, feeling a bit disappointed, but that vanished when he looked at the clock. It was nearly one 'o clock already. Normally, he hardly slept, and when he did, he always woke up early. Gosh, he had had to be **really **tired if it was that late. He yawned and stretched himself, glad for the fact that Marvolo hadn't woken him up. He shivered when thinking about yesterday evening. He had never thought** that **would happen when he had invited himself in Marvolo's bed. He smiled to himself, sighing in content. He had never felt like this before, so completely in love... he had liked Cho a bit, mainly because it had been expected of him, but that was it. **This**... this went much deeper, and he felt as if he wanted to stay forever with the Dark Lord. And he would, if it was up to him... as long as he could. He threw the sheets back and got up, rolling his eyes when he saw his clothes neatly folded on a chair. Neat-freak. Wasn't the floor good enough? Ignoring his clothes, he rummaged through the wardrobe until he found a soft, fluffy black bathrobe that immediately shrank to fit him. He found it nice to wear Marvolo's clothes... because the man's smell was all over them, it seemed like he was near.

He got out and descended the stairs, not caring a bit when a group of Death Eaters in the hallway fell silent when seeing him. He walked past them, on his way to the dining room. A few people were having lunch, Marvolo one of them, to Harry's joy. Papers were scattered across the table, and Harry skimmed them with his eyes, finding that they were maps of Hogwarts.

"What are you doing?" he asked, curious, and his lover turned around and gave him a small smile.

~Up already?~

Harry threw him a cheeky grin. ~Yes. I was rather surprised that** you** were able to get up early...~

~Maybe, Mr Potter, you should built up a stamina.~

~Want to help me?~

~Gladly. Come, sit down.~ he hissed, and patted his lap

"Seriously?" he gaped, glancing at the other people around the table.

His arm was grabbed and he was pulled down on his lover's lap. A cold hand gripped his face and their lips brushed together. This time it was Harry who took the initiative, taking Marvolo's lower lip in between his teeth, asking for entrance. A deep, needy kiss was the consequence, tongues trying to reach the back of each other's throats. It was nearly too much, and yet he couldn't get enough. When they finally parted, he rested his head on the man's shoulder. Suddenly, he frowned.

~You're cold.~

~I'm always cold. Does it bother you?~

~No, but... you weren't cold yesterday. At least not... well...** there**. How come?~

~No idea, really.~

~Not?~

~No... now you mention it... strange. But I'm also glad.~

~What for?~

~I imagine it would be uncomfortable for you if it was cold, you know, when we would have sex.~

"..."

~Didn't we already?~ Harry asked, confused.

Marvolo looked at him with a strange expression. ~Well, yes, but not all the way...~

~There's more?~ Harry said shocked, and he saw his lover was biting his tongue to prevent laughing. Irritated and feeling insecure, he flushed, looking away.

~I'm sorry.~ Marvolo apologised, gently turning his head back. ~I didn't think you wouldn't know... but now you mention it... you haven't you ever been with anyone else, have you?~

Harry shook his head, and Marvolo's gaze softened.~I feel honoured then, though I apologise for doing something so bold for our first time...~

"I didn't mind..." Harry blushed, and gave the Dark Lord a quick peck on the lips again. ~But there is more?~

~Yes... I'll show you in time...~

Harry nodded, and Marvolo let a plate of food appear for him when his stomach growled.

~Now eat, there is a lot to do today.~

~What are you doing with maps of Hogwarts actually?~

~I... made sure that Wormtail remembered some details he should have shared even during the first war.~

~Ah. Did he?~

~Conveniently enough for him, yes. I have seven passageways to Hogwarts from Hogsmeade now.~

"Only one which you can use though." Harry said, switching back to English, for the Death Eaters here might profit from the information as well. "Well, coming year, five of seven, because the ones whom I couldn't use previous years were the ones Filch knew... but you already covered that, didn't you?"

"Yes. Which?"

Harry pointed them out on the maps, and Marvolo marked them with a red dot.

"And the other two?"

"One has collapsed, and on the entrance of the other one stands a tree you don't want to meet. Scared the crap out of me, broke someone's wand and someone's leg."

"Hmm, better not risk that when I have five other potentialities to choose from." he said, tapping his long fingers at the table. "After all, they all go under the wards... ~now we've come to the subject of** wards**, by the way...~ he began, his eyes narrowing at Harry, ~I noticed some **peculiar **thing when I checked the wards around my home. You wouldn't happen to know some under aged wizard who had used magic last night when I was sleeping, hmm?~

Harry blinked at him, and it suddenly dawned on him what effect Devaki's lessons had had.

~I forgot about the Trace.~ he whispered, horrified. ~Oh my God. I totally forgot, I just...~

The Dark lord slowly breathed out through the slits of his nose, rubbing one of his temples with a pale, long finger.

~Whose wand did you use? Yours is still in the possession of the Order.~

~Uhmm, I kind of became friends with one of your followers, at least I think I did... I got invited in her little club of 'insane people', so I guess that counts as being friends. We were talking in the library and it suddenly came up that she had some curses to practice. I went along to the training room with her, and she taught me some of them...~

~You are so incredibly lucky.~Marvolo sighed, and somehow, Harry got the feeling the Ministry wouldn't be able to screw him, though he didn't know **why**.

~How so?~ Harry asked, confused.

~For the fact I have good wards. Your magic remained inside of them. However, if even** one** tiny stream of magic had passed them, it would have been hell. You will go to Hogwarts in one and a half week. **Please**, don't use magic anymore till then.~

~I won't. I'm really sorry...~

~You better be. Now, eat. I won't bring it up again.~

~Okay.~ Harry smiled, and bit in his tuna sandwich.

* * *

"Harry?"

"Yeah?" Harry answered, looking up from the paper he was drawing on.

"I didn't plan anything tonight yet... would you like to go out?"

"Out? as in... a date?" Harry asked, stunned, and the older man smiled at him.

"If you want..."

"Of course!" he exclaimed enthusiastically. "But how? I mean... won't they recognise me? Or you, for that matter?"

"Never heard of Glamours?"

"Can't say I have... but it's kind of obvious what it is for. Where did this come from anyway?"

"I just thought it would be nice. What are you doing, if I may ask?"

"Drawing. I like making sketches." Harry said, and showed the paper, on which a part of the room they were currently in was starting to form, including the view on the little village in the distance, out of the window.

"You're good." Marvolo commented, and Harry beamed at him.

"Thanks! Can you draw?"

"Yes, though I prefer drawing persons. Not that I have spent any time on that lately. I was too busy for any other hobbies then reading. My job usurps time... Not that I'm complaining."

Marvolo got up from his chair and kneeled behind the boy, wrapping his arms around him. "So." he whispered..."Where do you want to go to?"

"I... I don't know... I've never gone out, really, only with friends in Hogsmeade."

"In that case, I shall make it a surprise. Now, I have a one-on-one meeting with Severus. I'll be back in forty minutes at most." He pressed a kiss against Harry's temple and got up. "Try to not blow anything up, okay?"

"Will do." Harry replied, rolling his eyes, and went back to his yet unfinished drawing. When the man was gone though, he pulled another paper from his pocket, unfolded it and stared at the man that was drawn on it, smiling as he put it on the table and began sketching.

* * *

"My Lord." Severus Snape said in a strained voice, kneeling on the floor in front of Voldemort as he walked in with long strides, closing the door behind him.

"Severus." the man nodded in a cool voice, his eyes boring in the black ones of his follower, and Severus tried to repress a shiver. "What is the news?"

"A.. .As you probably already know, a few days ago Harry Potter disappeared. The Order is trying to locate the boy, but to no avail." he hesitated, not knowing how much his Lord had already heard about the situation. But when he just gave a wave for him to continue with something like sadistic amusement in his blood-red eyes, Severus gulped and proceeded: "Dumbledore is doing everything in his power to find Potter, though no-one is really sure **what** he is doing. He is gone a lot and the Order practically has to run itself these past days."

"What about Potter's friends? Aren't they working out some foolish scheme?"

"Not that I am aware of. If so, they hide it well. I am not exactly **close** to them. I have found that they are keeping Potter's belongings right now which the Order found at his home, which is more reason to worry about the boy for them."

"Oh?" Voldemort said, raising an eyebrow.

"Well... because he hasn't taken anything, they assume he has been... kidnapped. Dumbledore... he has the idea that it was you, my Lord."

"Ah, and when has he ever been wrong..." Voldemort said, folding his hands.

"I... is it true?" Severus said, horrified.

"Is that **concern** I hear, Severus? I wasn't aware that you cared about the well-being of Potter, or is it the Light that has captured you in their webs of sweet promises and lies? Is that what you want? Tell me, Severus, and we'll settle this once and for all. I have put up with your indecision long enough, I believe. Choose, Severus, and choose well, for I do Not. Like. **Treachery**." he said, his voice growing in strength as he spoke, cold anger slipping through his mask, and magic lurched out, materializing in black flames that danced through the room.

"Forgive me!" Snape exclaimed, fear gripping his throat. "Please..." Long, pale fingers gripped his chin, and he was forced to stare up in those menacing eyes that had haunted him for such a long time now.

"Is that your answer, Severus?" he asked in a deadly whisper, and released the other's face with a disgusted motion, flicking Severus' head back. "Whom have you pledged yourself to, Severus? Me? Or Dumbledore?"

"L... Lily..." Severus spoke after a long silence in a hoarse voice, and he knew it was over when the Dark Lord got up from his seat and kneeled down in a fluid motion, cold hands gripping his neck.

"Lily? Lily Potter? You pledged yourself to her?"

"Yes. Her..."

"And what about her son?"

Severus opened his eyes, confused by the tone in which he was spoken to.

"I..." he gulped. "I vowed to protect him with my life."

"To whom?"

"To Dumbledore."

"A Vow?"

"Yes."

"So be it. Follow me."

* * *

Read and Review!

xx GeMerope


	7. Part I Chapter VII

Marvolo entered the room in which Harry was sitting still, dragging Severus along. If it was true, and the man hadn't actually sworn himself to Dumbledore, but to Harry, that would be very, very convenient for their plans. His eyebrow raised when he saw Harry looking up with a 'caught' expression, and suppressed a chuckle when the boy tried to muffle some papers away, wondering what it was about. He dropped Snape on the floor, who crumpled into a heap, obviously afraid to be killed by every wrong movement. –and he was right at that-. He studied Harry's surprised expression when seeing Snape, and then confusion when their eyes locked.

"Severus here has practically admitted his treachery in front of me." He explained. "I found out that, while he isn't loyal to me, neither is he to Dumbledore, but to **you**." He said, ignoring Snape's gasp when noticing Harry

"**Me**? But… why?" Harry said stunned, and got up, approaching his potions master until he stood in front of him. "While he's saved my life a couple of times, he made it quite clear that he hates my existence. I thought he did it for Dumbledore…" he said with loathing in his voice.

"He made an Unbreakable Vow to Dumbledore to protect you."

"Unbreakable Vow?"

"If you break it, you die."

"Why would anyone do that?"

"Severus?"

The man's eyes had shifted between him and Harry constantly, not able to believe what he seeing, it seemed.

"I… When… when Lily died… you had sworn… you'd sworn to spare her… you didn't keep your promise…" Both Voldemort and Harry kept silent, so he cleared his throat and continued. "I ran to Dumbledore, not knowing who else to turn to. He used the opportunity to bind me to the Light, making me Vow to protect Lily's son, because he was the savior of the Light, and thus automatically, making me vow to be bounded to himself."

"You knew he was using you, and you didn't care? And why would you want to save my mother anyway?" Harry said, frowning at the man.

"We'd been friends." Snape mumbled, and Marvolo snorted, knowing the truth. "And no, I didn't care. I'd nothing else to care for."

"Then why do you hate me? It's not like I did anything to you."

"Not** you **is it that I loathe." Snape said with a pained face. "Besides, what are you doing here in the first place?"

"I believe you are not in the position to ask questions, Severus." The Dark Lord hissed menacingly, making the man cower.

"No, I want to talk to him about this. I know you loathed my father, but I'm** not him**. Why hold me responsible? Just because I look like him? I'm fed up with your behavior,** Sir**, so from now on, know that I am your superior."

"You'll never be superior to me!" Severus yelled, getting angry, but turned around, shocked, when his Lord chuckled darkly.

"I'd resent that. And Harry, really, using your position of power already?"

"What can I say? Being here has given me certain privileges. Especially after the scene you pulled during the Death Eater meeting yesterday."

~Somehow, I didn't think you minded...~

~Not at all.~ Harry smirked. ~Do you think Snape would?~

~Maybe he'll faint... can't do that to his heart, hmm?~

~Call it... suitable punishment.~Harry said, grinning evilly, and Marvolo licked is lips, his free hand twitching, aching to touch his young lover.

Severus's face was contorted in horror when Harry walked past him and slid his hand under Marvolo's top robe. Wherever the fingers touched his skin, pleasant tingles were left, and Voldemort leaned into Harry's touch before gripping the black locks harshly with his left hand, pulling the teen's head back, exposing the pale flesh of his neck. He bent down and sucked the skin, making Harry moan uncontrollably. Gasping lips sought his mouth, desperate for contact, which he gladly granted, and he had to suppress a cackle when glancing at Severus's ashen face. The boy writhed against him, searching friction, and the Dark Lord cupped Harry's ass, pushing their hips together. Panting, they released each other, knowing it would go out of hand if they continued, and neither of them wanted to have sex with Severus present.

~I thought you wanted to talk to him?~ Marvolo hissed softly, letting his fingernails rake down Harry's side.

~Yes.~ the boy replied with an unhappy tone.

~Should I leave?~

~Oh, please. I bet it will be a quite funny conversation. So, what are the facts?~

~Severus made a Vow in which he pledged himself to you. I take it that it also means protecting you and following you, and whoever **you** follow.~

~How far can I go? With telling him things?~

~That's up to you. Just make sure you don't reveal anything unnecessary. Try to make him see reason. He has nothing that ties him to the Light now, and Dumbledore used him for his own goals as well. I rather not lose such a valuable asset. Also, it would make Dumbledore suspicious if he were to be killed.~

~Alright.~ his love nodded, and Marvolo stole another quick kiss before sweeping past Severus, who was shocked beyond words.

XXx

"So, **professor**." Harry began, sitting down nonchalantly, as if he didn't just make out with the most feared wizard on earth. "Where to begin?"

"What do you think you've gotten yourself into, Potter?" Snape snapped, obviously afraid, and Harry narrowed his eyes on the potions master.

"I won't take shit from you anymore **Severus**." he bit. "I talk, you listen and obey."

"That you whored yourself out to the Dark Lord doesn't mean you have power over me." Snape sneered, and Harry's eyes flashed in fury.

"Really? If you want, I can call him back so you can say that to his face... wonder what he'll think of your accusation of me being his** whore**. No?" he added, when Snape began to shake his head, eyes widening. "Then hold your tongue." He began to understand why Marvolo liked to have his followers shivering in fear. It was real fun. "Why I am here is not of importance to you. The only thing that matters is for you to keep it quiet, especially from Dumbledore. I am** sane** right now, and so was I when I decided to join the Dark, that is all you need to know. What** I** find interesting is... why did you swear your loyalty to** me** of all people?"

Snape stared at him with hatred, but lowered his eyes eventually in defeat. "Dumbledore talked me into it. I wanted to die that night, but give one last blow to the Dark as revenge. The headmaster saw me see reason: That I would be of better help without killing myself. I refused to bind me to him, so he played his ace: **You**. You are all that is left of Lily, so I swore to protect your life with mine, even if half of you was** Potter's**." he snarled.

"You hate me **solely **because of my father?" Harry said surprised. He'd thought Snape would have at least a reasonable excuse, but this was just ridiculous.

"You look like him, you speak like him, you act like him... it is as if you exist to remind me that she could never, **ever **be..." The last world was lost in a strangled cry, and Harry understood, -mildly disgusted-, what exactly it was Snape had felt for his mother.

"Yours." he finished the sentence, and Snape nodded, staring dully at the floor.

"Yes." he whispered. "And what now? How am I supposed to protect you when you have turned to your enemy? Her **murderer**? How?"

"My parent's murderer, yes, but my saviour. Besides, I know why they were killed. It doesn't mean I like it, or haven't hated him for it, **still **do sometimes, but it can't be changed. It's in the past, Snape. You too would do well to remember that, instead of clinging to a memory that has been **dead** for thirteen years.

Snape gasped and flinched as if he had been slapped, and looked up in Harry's eyes, which were devoid of emotion.

"You have to choose now, Snape. Either you will follow me, and with that, the Dark, or you die here. I'm not here for a long time yet, but I do know that once you are in here, it is for life. Either you follow me, or you die."

"That is no choice."

"If you leave and go to Dumbledore, rest assured that my life will be endangered. While knowing that, you'll die because of the Vow anyway. Stay, and work for our cause, rather than drown in the past."

"Potter..." the man said, hesitating.

"Yes?"

"The Dark Lord isn't capable of emotions as love and caring, surely you know?"

Harry laughed at that and looked at the potions master. "I thought that as well. He showed me wrong."

"How can you be with someone... someone like** him**?"

"I cannot explain, and you wouldn't understand. Good day further. Make sure to choose right." Harry said, and gestured for him to leave.

After taking a few minutes to think about the previous conversation, Harry got up to search Marvolo out, but even before he left the room, the man stepped in.

"You listened in, didn't you?" Harry said, amused.

"Yes." the Dark lord growled, and Harry raised his eyebrows. "I think I'll have a nice long torture session tomorrow with Severus."

"Why? I mean, he won't tell anyone, and he isn't so stupid as to not choose for the Dark."

Marvolo looked at him with an exasperated look. "How short is your memory? He called you..." a long hissing growl filled the gap where said insult should be, and Harry chuckled.

"Oh, that. Don't worry, I've heard far worse insults in my life." Harry said airily, shrugging. He didn't think it was such a big deal, and was startled when he was shoved against the desk and fiercely kissed.

"Marvolo?" he asked when he could finally breath.

"I'm sorry..." the man whispered, and cradled the teen in his arms, who suddenly understood what this was about.

"It's not your fault they treated me like they did." Harry reassured him, stroking his lover's face. It's not even your fault I was brought to them. There were hundreds of Wizarding families who would have wanted me..."

"Why won't you let me kill them?" Marvolo sighed. "I would sleep** so** much better."

"Cause you really had a lack of sleep these past days, I'm sure." Harry grumbled. "Please, can we not talk about the Dursleys?"

"Alright, but don't think we're done about this yet. Now, for something else... I'd promised to take you out somewhere tonight, hmm?"

"Oh yes!" Harry said, smiling happily. "You already have an idea?"

"I had a few, so I'll let you choose. Now, we can either go out for dinner somewhere, or book a hotel or do something more... special..." the man said, and Harry rolled his eyes at the dramatic tone.

"Seeing as you're itching to take me to that 'special' place... what is it exactly?"

"Ah, it's a place of great magical and historical value, and quite beautiful on top of that..." he said mysteriously, and Harry smiled at him.

"How long have you been waiting before you had someone you could show it to?" he said, but didn't get an answer. "I'd be delighted if you'd take me there."

"I had a feeling you would say that." the man smirked and extended his hand.

Curious, Harry took a small stone that lay in it. Immediately, he a spinning motion and the telltale feeling of a hook behind his navel. Just as he thought his head would burst from all the spinning, it stopped, and he was somewhere else, outside. The air was hot and moistly, full of all kinds of sounds, and there was green all around him. Marvolo's arms were barely able to catch him before he hit the ground.

"I'm sorry, I would have apparated, but as you know, your magic would have been picked up."

"Apparated" Harry panted disbelievingly, still trying to catch his breath. "I absolutely loathe Portkeys, but apparation even more so."

His lover smirked at him in amusement. "You will have to get used to apparation one day love... how else do you think you'll transport yourself back and forth in the future?"

"I'll just take a broom..." Harry grumbled, and Marvolo laughed. "Where are we anyway?"

"I wanted to show you one of the most magical places on this world. We're in the Amazon rain forest."

Harry looked around, amazed. The vegetation was thick, and there weren't real paths. He closed his eyes in concentration until he felt the magic tingling in the air around him like a thick blanket. He opened them again, and the colours seemed brighter, the leaves, rocks, and even the insects all shining with a layer of pure, old magic. He was dragged along through the plants, but, other than he had expected, he didn't get scratched by branches or thorns. Instead, it seemed the green parted for them. After a couple of minutes they arrived at a nearly vertical cliff that emerged from the green all of a sudden. Marvolo halted in front of it, causing Harry to almost bump into the man, but the Dark Lord didn't pay attention to it.

**"Ostendu sum vestri secretum."** the Dark Lord said in a commanding voice, and the rock began to rumble.

A faint sound came from behind it, like a gong that became louder with each passing moment. Cracks appeared in the stone and it began to melt away so an archway appeared, something which made Harry think about the passageway to Diagon Alley. He peered through the hole, and what he saw made his eyes widen. It looked like a massive, triple stone circle, overgrown by the wilderness, but no less intimidating and powerful then it would have been if it had been brand-new. Harry felt infinitely small and powerless when he walked through the rock, which was, he now saw, only a few yards tick. Intrigued, he noticed that the resonating sound of a gong came from within the stones themselves, and symbols that were carved in the stones seemed to glow. Surprised, he noticed that they were in a huge cave, and the light came from holes in the stone ceiling and the stones of the circle. Multi-coloured birds flew up, their screeching and shrieking sounds echoing through the cave. He'd forgotten he wasn't alone, so a shock went through him when a cold hand gripped his.

"Don't get lost." Marvolo said oracular, and Harry looked at him with puzzlement. "People have gotten mad here." he explained. "They were drawn to the stones, and forgot the world around them, becoming lost in their minds."

"What is this place?"

"It's the first stone circle that has been created, carved out from a mountain. The ring of stone that forms the cave is the shell of the mountain. It has been carved out by magic, starting from the top."

"Wizards did this? They hollowed out a mountain with magic?"

"Yes, it took generations to complete, but they managed it, by courage, will, and perseverance."Aren't those Gryffindor qualities?" Harry laughed, and Marvolo sent him a playful glare, but didn't deny Harry's statement.

"Come, I brought you here for a reason other than to** tell **you about the history of our race. Feel free to ask anytime though... Rather, we are here for what lies in the center..." the man said, and they walked past the first ring, stepping on a stone platform full of carved lines which looked like water had once flowed in there, and past the second and the third ring, to come to a halt in the middle of it. Harry let his gaze wander around. It felt so **powerful **here that he could easily understand how people had felt themselves becoming detached from the rest of the world. "Come, stand here." Marvolo said, and Harry turned around, arching his eyebrow when he eyed the block of stone Marvolo was pointing at suspiciously.

"What** exactly** are we here for?"

"Trust me." the Dark lord simply said, and the teen sat down on the block, which had undeniably once served as an altar, or maybe even a sacrificial block. "Lie down on your back. I'm going to show you an amazing piece of magic, something we in modern times have been able to imitate, but never like this again."

Harry did so and noticed that there was some sort of bowl scraped out in the block, filled with a silver substance. "Is this..." he said, shocked, but Marvolo just smiled and said:

"Something like it, but not the same."

Harry lay down and made sure he lay stable on the block before dipping his head backwards in the stone basin. He gasped when everything around him changed. Sunlight shifted, and the burning planet passed the holes above him, and again, and again, each time faster, from the west to the east. He saw the trees around him becoming smaller, saw rain fall back into the sky, and cracks in the rocks healing. When it stopped, there was no trace of vegetation in the cave, and he sat up, bewildered when noticing he was translucent and devoid of colour, like a ghost. Or a memory... He heard rattling sounds and jumped, only now noticing a large group of people, dressed in ceremonial robes. Fascinated, he watched as they held some sort of ceremony.

"Today..." one of them said, an old man whose voice sounded like he was far away, "Our lifework is complete, and we can finally hold our first ritual here. A new era begins, one where we as Shaman population will not have to bow anymore to the laws of the unknowing. Let us bundle our strength, and live as we were supposed to, gifted by the Gods themselves..." he said, and the rest of the group mumbled among themselves, pleased.

Harry noticed that, when he concentrated hard enough, he could hear they spoke in some sort of ancient, foreign tongue, but it sounded like English to him. It was like speaking Parseltongue. He heard something that sounded different in reality, but it was hard for him to hear that difference.

It dawned on Harry that what he saw right now, was the original Wizarding population, and that their goals, thousands of years ago, didn't differ from what the Dark wanted. To stand up for themselves and show the world who they were, their superiority. Was it here that Marvolo had obtained his ideas?

He watched the rest of the ceremony, which was seemingly meant to consecrate the circles. They used various spells that Harry recognized, though the original spells hadn't been as precise as in the modern days. The spell **Aguamenti**, for example, that made water appear, came from a spell that was roughly translated just **Water**, a charm that made water vapor in the air slowly condense, forming little water drops before being guided in a chalice. When finally, the group left, still in a festive mood, he lay on his back again, dipping his head once more in the bowl.

"That was... amazing!" he exclaimed when he returned in his own time, and he felt honoured to have been allowed to have witnessed such a scene. Surprised, he saw it was a lot darker then it had been when he had 'left' and Marvolo was now sitting on the stone floor, a sight that gave him the strange urge to giggle, although he still looked dignified enough, more than Harry would ever be able to pull off when sitting on a ruined, broken slate of stone covered in grime and dirt. "How did you discover this place?"

"When I was travelling across the world, I also got to know a few wizards of a small Amazon tribe, who still referred to themselves as 'Shamans'. They showed me this after I had gained their trust. They too, thought wizards should be able to practice magic out in the open, just like what their ancestors had fought for."

"Thank you. For showing me this."

"Shall we go home? It is quite late. One of the house-elves can make some dinner for us before we go to bed."

"Let's." Harry said. "How long was I gone?"

"Hours."

"Hours? It seemed like minutes to me!"

"It was... time-travel is strange. For you, it seemed minutes, but in reality, you were gone for hours."

"Wow... I guess that's why I'm so tired."

"Too tired for a broom?" Marvolo grinned, and Harry shot him a dirty look as the man got to his feet and offered his the small stone again. Harry huffed and took it, waiting for the awful feeling, which soon came.

When they arrived at the Manor again, they ate in silence and went to bed, both tired from the day. Harry snuggled in Marvolo's arms and fell sound asleep.

* * *

The next day, Harry slept in nearly all morning, but when it was about noon, he dragged himself out of bed and headed to the library, where he read random books for a few hours. Suddenly, Harry jumped up at glanced at the clock, cursing under his breath. He had almost forgotten the meeting. He practically ran to the meeting room and sighed in relief when seeing it hadn't yet started. He glanced around to see if anyone of the group he had met during the previous meeting was there yet, but he saw none of them. Devaki **had** said that they were busy, but he didn't know if they should report or try to come even if they were ill... Instead, his eye fell on a person who was coming his way. Someone he didn't like. And following that person was someone** else** he didn't like.

"Potter." the blond man said coolly, eyes cold as steel. "I wonder what our Lord was thinking when he decided you would be of use to him.

"Mr Malfoy..." Harry said in a voice that clearly showed he was annoyed. "Draco..."

"Potter." Draco nodded, though he didn't have the same air of superiority around him as his father. "I wish to speak to you, preferably before the meeting begins."

Harry nodded and walked away to a more quiet place, expecting Draco to follow, and completely ignoring Malfoy Sr. He was really getting used to this 'I'm the boss.' thing, he noticed gleefully. After always being expected to do what others said –though he hadn't always listened-, he found it a nice change.

"So your father told you about the task yet?" Harry begun, and spun around, relieved Lucius hadn't followed them. Maybe he was offended... Harry hoped he was...

"Yes, he did. I only want to make some concrete plans. How do you think you can realise this?"

"It will be difficult, for I'll have to get rid of the Gryffindor hurdles that are always with me, but I'll manage. I have some quite handy tools, and enough experience with sneaking around. And I also have someone covering me, though I'm not sure if I am allowed to reveal him."

"Father hinted at it already."

"He's been informed?" Harry said, surprised. "I suppose I should tell you then as well, but it is not significant now. I'll go into detail at school. Now, for recruiting students... What will your approach be? You are, after all, the one who'll have to do this openly. I will only have to watch from the shadows, and maybe use magic on them to convince them. Only if we are absolutely sure of their loyalty to the Dark, can I be open."

"Though there also might be some people who'll join if they know **you** have changed."

"We must not get people to join because they like me, but because they agree with our goals, and can work under Voldemort." he said, and grinned when Draco flinched. "Oh, don't tell me you're** still** afraid of his name..."

"That you aren't just shows your insanity." Draco huffed.

"Are you allowed to be present during meetings?"

"I? Don't be ridiculous, Potter, I'm not even a Death Eater yet, though Father has hinted that I will be soon, in a year at the most. "

"Your father didn't tell you then?"

"Told me what?" Malfoy frowned, clearly annoyed.

"If you think me insane already for daring to speak out his name, what would you declare me when knowing I'm his lover?" Harry said, smirking smugly when Malfoy's mouth fell open.

"Tell me you're joking,** Please** tell me you're joking."

"Sorry, but no."

"You are the most masochistic person I've ever met, Potter, seriously, let your head be checked one of these days! **Why**?"

Harry shrugged. "You wouldn't believe my reasons, so I won't try to explain."

"Why'd you tell me anyway?"

"To get back on him. He kissed me full on the mouth in front of everyone during the last meeting. I also thought it unfair to you if you were denied that little juicy detail. Plus, he'll be coming to Hogwarts once every few days. I'm just preparing you..."

"What do you mean?"

"You remember how I snuck to Hogsmeade in third year, even though I wasn't allowed to?"

"Yes. I still have to get you back for that..."

"Didn't you already?" Harry said, narrowing his eyes, not liking the idea of another fight. "I know you don't like me, and I don't like you either, but we** have** to work together. We better start that by stopping our fights."

"No way!" Malfoy protested. "What do you think that will do to my image? Imagine, me being nice to Saint Potter? And what'll **your** little minions say?"

"Other than you, Malfoy, I don't have minions, but friends. Ron won't like it, but he'll just grumble and get over it soon enough, and Hermione will congratulate me for growing up. Something I** do** need to do if I will ever hope to achieve something for the Dark. I don't care what it will do to your 'image', it's an order."

"You can't command me!"

"Oh? Did your father leave that little bit out? I can and I will, if you have complaints, go to Voldemort. Now, what will your approach be?"

Malfoy glared at him, but shut up and got down to business. "I'll begin with the people who have ties to the Dark already. Children of Death Eaters, then purebloods...We're practically assured of their loyalty already. Many of them hold a grudge against Muggles."

"Yes, **why** exactly?"

"You mean you don't know?"

"I was raised by Muggles, and only found out I was a wizard when I turned eleven. And after that... One word: Binns."

"Ah, okay, let me give you a summary... In the ancient times, before the Statute of Secrecy was established, it were the Wizards, the ancestors of purebloods, who ruled the society, both magical and Muggle... That is what we want to get back, though it will be hard to maintain... the Statute of Secrecy was established for a reason. But with the Dark Lord, I don't think things will get out of hand..."

"Yes, I do know that the Dark wants to be out in the open... and I agree, Voldemort can rule this world better than the Ministry of Magic as it is now."

"Is it true that he's immortal?" Draco said, curiously.

"He came back just a month or so ago, right? That should say enough, though I don't know **how**. What are the rest of your plans?"

"I want to use the people who are loyal to the Dark to find dark spots on the Light and their leader, so they will waver in their faith, before we will strike and announce our goals, for the Light doesn't want to listen."

"Many believe everything Dumbledore says, that included me till before summer, sadly enough. I thought the Dark just wanted to destroy the world and the Light, so a small group of purebloods would lead this world to its downfall..."

"I'm glad though, if you can be convinced, then everyone can be..." Draco grinned, and Harry found himself grinning along.

"I have to go now." he said, looking to the meeting door, where the last people were slipping inside.

"Are you a Death Eater then?"

"No, but I do have certain... privileges. See you around, Malfoy."

"Bye, Potter."

_Did I just have a civil conversation with Malfoy?_ Harry thought, before walking through the doors.

* * *

**Ostendu sum vestri secretum:** Reveal you secret.

Read and Review!

xx GeMerope


	8. Part I Chapter VIII

Ah, I have to write another disclaimer here, for I took a part of a song of Love never Dies, the Sequel of Phantom of the Opera. -which I don't really like, cause it could have been a fanfiction story O.o The music is good though.- So, I don't own Love Never Dies, or any of the songs. I just thought it fitting in the story here. For the ones who want to hear it: www. youtube watch? v=FRYDylWDkV0&feature=related  
Just remove the spaces.

Enjoy!

* * *

Harry closed the door behind him, looking at the crowd that had filled the meeting room. To his relief, he saw that Devaki and the others had come as well, so he quickly walked over to them and dropped in the seat next to the woman. –He was so glad that his lover didn't expect them to remain kneeling on the stone floor for the whole meeting-.

"Hey." He said, and she looked at him with excitement.

"Hey! So, ready for another lesson after this is over?"

"Ah, about that… Apparently the wards could just barely hold my magic within them, and Marvolo got kinda angry about that in an 'I'm worried about you' way, so I'm not allowed to use magic again till I'm back at school."

"Marvolo… the Dark Lord?"

"Yeah."

"You know, it's weird, hearing his name like that."

"What, should I call him He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named then? "

"Yes, I suppose it's kind of long to scream during sex…" she smirked, and laughed when he sent her a death glare. Luckily, he did not need to answer her, for Marvolo started speaking.

"Welcome to all of you, my followers. This day's meeting will be brief. When I call your name, give me a short update of the progress of your current missions. After that, I want my Inner Circle to stay behind."

Many people nodded, and when the reports began, he tried to understand who had what sort of mission, trying to determine the strong and weak points of every Death Eater. He made a mental note of every spy that had been installed somewhere and people who had jobs at the Ministry, of whom were more than he had expected. If he ever wanted to visit the Ministry, he needed to know who to trust. Another interesting point was brought up by one of 'his' group, Ryder. He was one of the younger Death Eaters and had light-brown, slightly spiked hair and very strange eyes which reminded him of someone else. And after the man had spoken, he knew why.

"My Lord, I am currently seeking help for my mission among my kind. I am not certain I can get other packs to join your cause on my own, but I have spoken to my Alpha, and he agrees to help our cause. Once he will express his thoughts to the other werewolves, you will have another pack behind you, for there are none whom I know that will object."

"Were there any difficulties?"

Ryder hesitated before nodding. "Yes My Lord… our pack, Nicane, has difficulties with the Winter Howl's, which is led by Greyback." He said, giving a short nod to the other werewolf, who sat not too far away, and gazed at him with piercing eyes. "My Alpha wants those problems solved before he'll inform the others that we support you."

"What are these problems about?" the Dark Lord said, his eyes shifting from the one to the other.

"Hunting territory." Ryder said stiffly, and Greyback growled.

"Listen well, cub. You can tell whiny-dog that we're the bigger pack, so we need more ground than you."

"Don't you dare to insult my Alpha!" Ryder said, jumping to his feet, and Greyback snarled.

"Watch your mouth, or I'll rip your throat out!"

Harry saw Marvolo was rubbing his temples and softly muttering in himself. He probably had to deal with those sorts of fights more than he wanted.

"Silence! Both of you, or you can fight this out in the dungeons!" he said on a dangerous tone. "Dusk, sit down, Greyback, leave the insults for when you're out of this room, understood?"

Ryder sat down, still seething in fury, and Greyback threw him a haughty look before pointedly looking away.

"Dusk, tell me more."

"It's about the land on the border of Ryedale and Scarborough. It belonged to our pack, but as Winter howl's got more wolves, it claimed the ground as theirs. Nicane obviously wasn't happy about it, but we decided to share. However, **someone** didn't think that enough and broke the treaty, usurping the territory through violence."

"Greyback?"

"We needed more ground. The strongest survive." the wolf said, shrugging.

"You'll share." Marvolo said on a decisive tone that left no room for argument.

Greyback obviously wasn't happy about it and, not thinking about what he was doing, shot the Dark Lord a dirty look and snarled at him. The mood in the room shifted, freezing, it seemed, and slowly, the Dark Lord rose, his eyes narrowed at Greyback.

"Do you dare to question my authority Greyback? Do you?"

"I..." the wolf stammered, gulping as black tendrils of magic wrapped around him. "I apologise... forgive me... I didn't think."

**"That**, was obvious. **Crucio**" the wolf fell to the ground, twisting in agony, and threw his head back, howling out in pain until the curse was released. Harry couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. He still wasn't used to the discipline that was upheld here, and to see that his lover's eyes, which had often looked at him with a soft tenderness, were now harsh and cold as ice, made Harry shiver, though he had to admit it suited the man, this side of him. And it was also kind of an arousing sight to see him like this, all-powerful and menacing. "Next time,** do **think before you speak." Marvolo said coldly, his wand disappearing in his sleeve again.

He sat down on his chair, but before he could speak again, the doors burst open, and one of the guards barged in, dragging a struggling figure along. A painfully familiar figure, on top of that, who was obviously bewildered to be here.

"Let me go, you bastard!" Sirius shouted, trying to loosen the grip on his neck. "let me** go**!"

"No, I don't think so." Yaxley smiled sadistically before bowing, dragging Harry's Godfather with him to the ground. "My Lord. This intruder suddenly appeared on the grounds. Judging his appearance, I'm highly certain that this is Sirius Black."

"Yes, I can see that." Marvolo replied, in a slightly annoyed voice.

"Voldemort!" Sirius spat, and Harry could only watch, not able to produce any sound. "So you have returned...and more hideous than ever, it would seem..." the man said, and spat the Dark Lord in his face, who became enraged, not having expected such insolence.

Having already lost most of his patience with Greyback, he was now on the verge of exploding, and before Harry could do anything about it, Sirius was screaming on the floor. Only then did he regain control over his limbs and voice, sprinted forward and shielded Sirius, taking the curse for him. His eyes met black, disbelieving ones for a moment before he shut them in pain. However, it didn't last more than a fraction of a second and gasping, Harry fell to the floor, rolling on his side to look at his lover, who had shock and realisation written over his face, which was even paler than usual.

"Harry..." came out of two mouths, and they halted, both eyeing each other warily.

"Everyone, this meeting will be continued on a later time. Severus, stay behind."

Surprised, not having noticed the man, Harry watched his potion master get up. He himself got to his feet as well, before hesitantly helping Sirius to his feet under the frowning glance of his lover.

"Harry... it's you, isn't it? It's really you?"

"Yes, yes, it's me. Sirius, for God's sake, how did you get here?"

"I used the two-way mirror to locate you. Harry, why are you here? Are you alright?" he said anxiously, his eyes shooting glances at Voldemort, who was just standing there, not making any move to interfere, though he was staring intensely at them, something which made him feel quite nervous.

"Long story, not interesting…" Harry said hastily, and Sirius stared at him.

"Harry, you don't really believe I'll fall for that, do you?"

"I told you that you are a terrible liar." Voldemort said, and Sirius's eyes grew wide when Harry stalked towards the Dark Lord and hit him in the chest –although it seemed to have no other effect than hurting Harry's hand-.

"Then **you** tell him! Do you have any idea how embarrassing this is?"

"... How so?..."

"Well... me getting here... to the Dark... with you... actually started with you... you know."

Marvolo sighed, but smirked at Harry after that. "Come on, let's get somewhere more comfortable. I'm sure there is a lot of explaining to do."

That being said, they all followed the man, including Snape. Harry didn't have a clue why the potion's master was here, and it looked like Snape didn't know either.

"Harry..." Sirius whispered, and Harry looked at his godfather.

"Yes?"

"Shouldn't we be... running or something?"

Harry ran a hand through his hair and sighed, but didn't answer, so Sirius decided it was better to not ask anything anymore until they where wherever Voldemort was leading them. He was surprised when they entered a comfortable looking, small living room, and settled on the couches. After that, Sirius got the shock of his life when Voldemort grabbed Harry's arm and dragged the teen down in his arms.

"The hell are you doing?" Harry mumbled, blushing, and looked up at his lover.

"There will be no misunderstanding about this, Black. Harry is here because he wants to, and if you intent to try and get him to the Order, you'll first have to get past **me**. I hope you are aware of that that means you won't succeed at all."

Sirius, whose mouth hung agape at the possessive tone, snapped his jaw shut when Snape mumbled something about him looking ridiculous. He clenched his fists and frowned at Harry.

"Is it true? That you weren't forced?"

"Depends on how you look at it..." Harry said pensively. "I mean, I** did **get whirled away from the Dursley's without my explicit permission, but it wasn't like I minded... and besides..." he got red again, and ducked his head.

Snape, who figured what would be coming, turned his head away in discomfort when the Dark Lord got a hold of Harry's chin and lowered his head. Sirius froze, not able to look away when Voldemort's tongue slipped into Harry's mouth. The boy relaxed, pulling Voldemort closer, and kissed him back. Only when they parted, he realised what he had been doing, and threw a horrified glance at Sirius.

"Did you** have **to do that now?" He said, angrily and embarrassed.

"I gave you plenty of time to stop me." Voldemort said, shrugging, and threaded his hand in the teen's hair.

"That's beside the point! You know I can't resist that!"

"I know... but I never get tired of seeing that for myself..." he said, shooting Harry a perverted grin.

"You..." Sirius said, feeling numb while getting to his feet. "You fucking bastard. WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, YOU LITTLE PIECE OF SHIT, THAT YOU CAN FUCK MY GODSON? HE'S ONLY BEEN HERE FOR WHAT, FIVE DAYS, AND YOU'RE MAKING OUT WITH HIM?"

"Ah, Sirius!" Harry said, trying to get the man to calm down, when seeing the eyes of his lover darken dangerously.

"No Harry, stay out of this!" his godfather said, his face contorted with anger. "You obviously don't have a clue what he's trying to do to you. He's evil, Harry! He can't love! He-"

"Silencio." Marvolo murmured, and bound Sirius with a flick of his wrist, forcing him to fall back on the couch. "Black. The only reason I will not kill you for the insolence and disrespect you have shown me these past minutes is your godson. Be happy." he sneered.

"I need to speak to him in private." Harry said, and Marvolo nodded in understanding.

"I'll be just a room away when you need me." He got up, released the silencing spell and gestured for Severus to follow him.

When Sirius and he were alone, Harry crossed his arms defensively in front of his body and stared at the flickering candles that stood before the window so he could avoid his godfather's gaze.

"Harry, what **have** you gotten yourself into?"

"I haven't 'gotten myself into' anything bad, at least I know that. Sirius, this was my own choice."

"I don't understand. He's, he's... well, he's **Voldemort** for one. Did you forget what he has done? What he wants to do? What he** will** do if he isn´t stopped? How can you give up all of a sudden? Let's just forget the part where he** kissed** you."

"Don't forget." Harry said coolly. "Don't ever forget."

"But..."

"No." Harry told him in a tired voice. "For your other questions, I know what he has done, who he is. His past mistakes can not be forgotten either, but I want to strive for a new future, Sirius. And he can give that. To the world **and** to me"

"His future is one where only wizards will reign!"

"Merlin, why do you all **believe** that crap?" Harry groaned. "The Dark wants Muggles and wizards to cooperate, he wants wizards to be free to use their magic whenever they want. And I agree with one thing that you probably won't. Wizards **are **better than Muggles."

A shocked silence fell.

"You can't mean that. They're humans Harry. All humans, just like we are."

"Humans they may be, but they are weak, where we hold power."

"What did he do to you? I don't know you anymore."

"You never knew me!" the teen exclaimed, jumping up. "This **is** me! Accept it!"

"Where have your plans for fighting Voldemort gone then? You had ideals Harry, other ideals."

"Because Dumbledore kept me clueless from whatever ideals both sides had. I thought the same as you did. That the Dark was evil, and the Light was good. But you know what? I'm not too sure anymore. They let a child fight a war for them, and based on what?" he huffed, running a hand through his hair. "Now I have a choice, and I plan to change my path. My destiny cannot be set in stone already. I refuse to believe that."

"This must be some spell..." the man in front of him muttered, and Harry got up, finally looking him in the eyes, and Sirius cringed at the look in the teen's eyes.

"It is not."

"I wish it was."

"This will lead us nowhere."

"Harry, please. It's not too late. You've only been here for a few days. Surely you can't be this caught up in his web of lies already? Come back, we need you. We can save you from his darkness still!"

"And I need him. I need to be here" he said coldly, shattering every illusion his godfather could have. "If you want hope, this isn't where you'll find it. Not the hope you want."

When Sirius remained silent, Harry walked to the door Marvolo had left through, joining his lover and ignoring Sirius' pleading glance.

"Harry..." Marvolo sighed. "I'm sorry." he muttered, when seeing Harry's look.

"Is this the reaction I'll get?" Harry said softly. "With the others as well? Will they all think you are taking advantage of me somehow? That I can't take care of myself?"

Wordlessly, Marvolo drew the teen close, enveloping him in a warm hug. "I'll Obliviate him and send him back to the Order, while removing the idea he got to get here so he won't try it again and come here."

"Yes. That's probably for the best. He won't... he won't understand anyway, not even if I tried to explain it even more... When he showed up here, I thought this was the chance I had been looking for, to tell my friends and the one I consider family about you, and about my joining the Dark. However... now I see that most of them will not even want to know about it..."

The man sighed and nodded. "So you'll keep everything to yourself? Even when being at school?"

"I have to. Especially in the beginning. There might be a chance to reveal my true colours later in the year, but first I have to be absolutely sure they won't just see me as a victim of brainwashing."

"I'll send him back then."

"Hmpf, no dungeons?" Harry grinned.

"Would be too suspicious... no matter how much I'd like that... insolent man." Marvolo grumbled.

"I guess his wish of forgetting it will come true then anyway." Harry muttered unhappily.

* * *

Later, when Harry was alone in their bedroom, he sat with his head in his hands, wondering if it would have been possible to let Sirius see his way, make him see the beauty of the new world as envisioned by the Dark. He laughed bitterly. Of course not. His godfather hated the Dark with a passion, something which had begun in his youth already. He had to admit that he didn't like the cruel methods, the killing, the torture... but he fought for his freedom, a free world. Why should he fear it? The splendour, the glory that would come. He was absolutely sure it could be realised. He shook the thoughts from his mind, knowing he would have to act secretly and carefully when being at Hogwarts. He hoped he would be able to deal with the tasks set upon him, the responsibility. a song came up in his head, and he smiled at the truth of it. Silently, he began to hum the melody, letting the words drift to the surface.

_"Have you ever yearned to go  
Past the world you think you know  
Been enthralled to the call of the beauty underneath  
Have you let it draw you in  
Past the place where dreams begin  
Felt the full breathless pull of the beauty underneath_

_When the dark unfolds its wings  
Do you sense the strangest things  
Things no one would ever guess  
Things mere words cannot express_

_Do you find yourself beguiled  
By the dangerous and wild  
Do you feed on the need for the beauty underneath  
Have you felt your senses surge  
And surrender to the urge  
And been hooked as you looked at the beauty underneath_

_When you stare behind the night  
Can you glimpse its primal might  
Might you hunger to possess  
Hunger that you can't repress_

_It seems so beautiful  
So strange yet beautiful  
Everything's just as you say"_

He wondered if he was going Dark, not for the first time these days.

"What's beautiful?" a familiar voice said, and Harry's head shot up, smiling when meeting a gentle gaze.

"You." Harry grinned roguishly, and a laugh bubbled up in him when his mouth got captured by Marvolo's lips. He let himself be pushed on the bed and undid the clasp of the black mantle, throwing the piece of fabric on the floor.

"Really?" the man whispered, and nipped at his lover's throat, drawing a moan from Harry's lips.

Yes, this was truly were he belonged.

* * *

Read and Review!  
xx GeMerope


	9. Part I Chapter IX

"Marvolo?" Harry asked groggily before noticing that the man didn't lie next to him.

Confused, the teen got up, and, still sleepy and disorientated, almost fell off the bed. Hearing the sound of water, he went to the bathroom, where every fiber of sleep was quickly willed away when seeing his lover leaning over the bathtub –or better say pool-, which was filling itself with scented water. Taking a deep breath, Harry spied the man and silently took off his own clothes. Carefully to not make a sound, he snuck up from behind Marvolo, wrapping his arms around the waist. Surprised, the man looked behind him, unconsciously licking his lips, a gesture that was followed with fascination by a pair of green eyes.

"What are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious? I want to bathe with you." Harry said, grinning mischievously.

The pool was full now, and they descended in the water, though Harry had a feeling it wouldn't make him very clean. Harry tried to evade the burning eyes that took him in as he let himself sink in the hot liquid. He repressed a shudder that went through him when a pair of arms wrapped around him, holding him in a tight grip as if to prevent him from escaping. He leaned into the chest behind him and wasn't very surprised when something hard pressed against his lower back. Twisting his body a bit, the teen managed to reach up to Marvolo's face and took it in his hands, kissing the other shyly. A tongue brushed against his lips, and he took it between them, sucking on the tip, eliciting a moan from his lover before it slipped further in his mouth. Hands traveled down his body, curling around the hips, turning Harry further around to deepen the slow kiss. It was strange, that even after such a short time, it was so natural for him to give in. He supposed it was because of all the nights Marvolo had spent in Harry's room, watching over him. The teen pushed Marvolo against the edge of the pool and straddled his hips while wrapping his arms around the neck.

"**Bathing**, my ass." Marvolo muttered, smiling.

" And such a lovely ass it is…" harry mischievously said, laughing when he got and astonished look in return. "Somehow, I thought you wouldn't mind... but if you insist..." Harry said, a mocking pout on his face while he released the man, laughing when he was pulled close again with a growl.

"Oh no, you will stay right were you are..." the Dark Lord ordered, eyes narrowing. "On another thought..." So fast that Harry didn't even have time to protest, they were flipped around, Harry now lying half in the pool, half on the bathroom floor, his black hair splayed over the white marble tiles. ~You look delicious,~ the man hissed, red flaring with lust.

The teen had similar thoughts, seeing his gorgeous lover looming over him. His breathing hitched when Marvolo took his arms and held them above his head by taking both of Harry's wrists in one hand in a possessive gesture. The man spread Harry's legs so he could stand in between them and leaned forward, sucking on the exposed nipples. The teen twisted and turned his head, small moans escaping his throat. He stroked Marvolo's waist with his legs and wrapped them around it, bucking his hips upward. A hand came up to guide his legs in a good position, after which it slid forward, the palm sliding over his bulge.

"Faster." Harry groaned in bliss, trying to use his elbows to lift himself up, something which was impossible, seeing as his arms were still held to the floor.

Growling in annoyance, he tightened his grip on Marvolo's waist, arching his back when grinding against the other's erection. A few minutes of frantic stroking, grinding and pulling later, seed spurted over his lover's stomach, accompanied by a cry. He slid in the water when he was released, exhausted. The other man, however, seemed to have different ideas. Taking a sponge, he began to wash every inch of Harry's body, making use of the occasion to sensually slide a hand over the teen's ass, chest or inner thighs.

"You're going to be the death of me..." Harry gasped, letting his head rest back on Marvolo's shoulder.

"That was the intention." the other said casually, though an underlying tone of humor was to be heard.

"Hmm, does that also mean you're going to show me what** your** definition of sex is?" Harry said, mustering up courage, and surprisingly enough, his voice kept steady. Hell, he even sounded** daring**. Ordering minions around for a few days did wonders to ones self esteem.

"If you want... yes, though I suggest we finish bathing first." Marvolo said, his eyes gleaming with delight.

Getting a bit nervous, Harry took a sponge as well and took care to clean his lover as well as he could, now and then interrupting to steal a kiss. When they got out, the man dried them both with a flick of his hand and a muttered word.

_So that's why he doesn't have towels in the bathroom... figures._

Trembling with anticipation and nerves, he lay down on the bed, pulling Marvolo on top of him. The man opened Harry's legs, and slid his hand in between them, whispering a few spells. The teen felt empty all of a sudden, and then something slick pushed inside of him. However, he didn't like** where.**

"What are you doing?" he exclaimed, eyes growing wide.

"Preparing you."

"But... but that's..."

"That's what?"

"My ass! I mean... eww!" Chuckling, his lover pulled his finger out. "I poo with that!" Harry pointed out, disgusted.

"Oh, you're so mature." Marvolo replied, rolling his eyes. "And here I thought you wanted to have sex..."

"You mean..." Harry said, shocked, trying to comprehend the meaning.

"Yes."

Frozen, Harry tried to get the idea in his head that Marvolo wanted to shove his cock up Harry's arse. Somehow, it was kind of uncomfortable. Not to mention that the man was large. Very large. Seeing his hesitation, his lover sighed and rolled them over. Harry blinked when Marvolo spread his legs.

_**"Scourgify, Evanesco."**_ he mumbled, pointing at himself. "Now listen, I don't bottom well, so this will be one of the last times." he said.

Hesitant, but because of the spells certain that there wasn't something **left **in the hole, Harry stroked the ring of muscles, fascinated by how they clenched around his fingertip. A low moan came from Marvolo and the teen grinned, getting hard again when seeing the man sprawled out for him on the bed, eyes half lidded in pleasure.

"What was that spell you used to make your finger slick?" Harry said, not wanting to hurt the other.

_**"Planto lubricus. **_Now hurry up." he answered with a growl.

The teen pushed in, using his other hand to smear the precum that was leaking out of the slit of Marvolo's erection over the head. He inserted another digit and clumsily began to dig in deeper. apparently he was doing something good, if his lover's groans were anything to go by. Then, the man cried out and arched off the bed.

"What's wrong?" Harry said, alarmed.

"Again." the other panted. "Touch it again."

He tried to stroke the same spot he had before Marvolo had reacted, and a low moaning followed. Painfully hard himself now, Harry retracted his fingers, hoping it was enough preparation. He used their precum to lubricate himself and held onto Marvolo's hips, pushing them up a bit for a better angle. He thrusted in, gasping because of the heat and tightness. Not able to restrain himself, he pushed out and in again, but forced himself to stop when he saw Marvolo's pained face.

"Sorry." Harry said softly, cradling his lover's face in his sweaty palm, leaning over to kiss him.

"It's alright. I think you can move now."

The next ten minutes were filled with cries, screams, and utter bliss for both of them. Marvolo, not having released since he and Harry bathed together, came violently, his body jerking as the seed was spilled in between them. Harry now sat on his knees, still ramming hard into his lover, and bent down in an awkward angle to lick the cum off the man's tip.

"I'm going to come..." Harry breathed, looking up to his lover for permission before burying his sperm deep in the man's ass. "Ah, that was... amazing."

"Hmm... I can't wait to have **you**." Marvolo smirked.

"Not today though." Harry snorted, and rolled his eyes when the man made a disappointed sound. "Merlin, don't you need that thing called** recovery time**?"

"I do... for about one minute."

"God..." Harry groaned when hands began to roam over his skin again.

"Don't worry... I have to go anyway. Work." Marvolo sighed, getting up.

"Success."

"Yes, well, try to not seize a wand and hex my followers will you? No matter how annoying they are, there are better ways to solve that."

"Knocking them unconscious?" Harry suggested hopefully.

"I meant** without** using violence."

"Oh yeah, I'm sure they won't resort to that too." he said sarcastically.

"If they do, I'll torture them, and they know that. Now get up, you need to eat something."

"In a few minutes..." the teen yawned, wrapping himself in the blankets again.

"Those are dirty..."

"Yes, and they smell delicious now." Harry said with a devilish smirk.

"If I didn't have work to do..."

"Yes, I know, you'd make love to me the whole day. **Sadly** enough, you** do** have work."

Marvolo bent over for a last kiss before departing, which somehow ended with Harry's neck covered in love bites.

* * *

Although he was met with a lot of glares, Harry pretended to not notice and slumped down at the table, mumbling: "Tuna sandwich" and munched on it when it appeared on his plate.

"So... Potter." someone sneered, and he looked up with disinterest, not really feeling in the mood to argue with Bellatrix. "How's it feel to be the Dark Lord's plaything?"

Swallowing, he replied with a blank face: "You wouldn't know, would you? After all, no matter how hard you tried, **you** could never get him."

Sniggers went round the table, and the witch seethed. "You'll pay for that Potter, no-one makes fun of me!"

"And you could do **what** about it, if I may ask?"

"Oh, I don't know..." she said mockingly, tapping her chin. "There are a lot of curses that I'm sure you have no counter for..."

"What part of the Dark Lord's 'He's not to be harmed' didn't you understand?"

Opening and closing her mouth, she couldn't find an answer and attacked her food in a way that made Harry glad it was dead already. Or that it wasn't him… The teen got distracted when a huge snake slithered from under the table, coiling around his legs, her head coming up to rest at his lap.

~Hello Nagini. I haven't seen you for a long time.~

~I know. I was out a few days. Decided to give you some... privacy.~ she answered, and Harry got the feeling that she was smirking.

~And? What did you do during that time?~

~I went to visit family of mine...One of my brothers was very surprised when I mentioned you, by the way. Said that he was saved one day from a zoo by someone who could talk to snakes.~

~Really?~ Harry said. ~So he's still free, is he?~

~Yes, though he never realised his goal of going to Brazil... I **told** him it was useless, unless he wanted to swim across the ocean. I've seen some maps when Marvolo was working, and he explained distances and such to me. It's too far.~

~I feel sorry for him... what's his name, by the way? I never had a chance to ask.~

~He changes it regularly, so none of us really remember. This time, he called himself Sete Sonhos. Seven dreams... He had some great theory as to why he chose that, but I didn't deem it important enough to remember. So, to change the topic, is Marvolo well? I haven't seen him yet.~

~He's fine. I think he's in the library. Told me he needed to look something up. Snape asked for some ingredients, but left without saying what potion he wanted to make. Marvolo is trying to figure out what he needed them for.~

~Why doesn't he just ask?~

~Don't know. Perhaps he thinks Snape will lie about it. He **was **a spy for Dumbledore after all.~

~Really? I never liked the man. I hope he still has that scar from where I bit him...~ she said gleefully. ~He stepped on my tail, something which shall never go unpunished.~ she explained haughtily.

Harry bit his tongue to not laugh out loud, and tried to imagine Snape's face at that moment. ~He didn't die? I thought you were venomous.~

~I thought he was loyal to Marvolo, so I didn't insert poison. Wish I had...~

~Now now, as it turns out, he swore a Vow to me, and since I'm dark, he won't –can't, really-, work for Dumbledore anymore.~

~Good. Do you have any food for me?~

~Food? Sure, what would you like?~

~Some chicken, please. Raw, but without the feathers. They tickle.~

Harry summoned some meat on his plate, and several Death eaters looked horrified. Harry, having forgotten they couldn't have understood his conversation with the Dark Lord's familiar, smirked. It surely must look strange to them. He held it in front of Nagini's face, and she flicked her tongue out, smelling the meat.

~It's good.~ she commented, and with one bite, she took it in her jaws and swallowed it whole.

She glided from his lap to the floor and out of the room, hissing a thanks before disappearing out of sight.

* * *

He was now sauntering through the manor, trying to make up his mind as to where to go. Remembering that he hadn't seen the third floor yet, he walked up the stairs, and was surprised when seeing some sort of giant 'room of lost things'. Literally everything that could be found in a Wizarding home was lying around, from quills that were scattered across the floor to old magical books and some artifacts that undoubtedly contained very dark magic. Magical mirrors hung on the wall and he looked at his reflection in them until there was one were his reflection tried to hypnotise him with a stare. He could pull back only just in time before getting pulled through the glass, which, when he looked better, existed of not metal and glass, but a blueish thick mist. One of the Harry's in the mirrors let out a disappointed screech when the real one turned away. While he turned his back to them however, he saw something odd out of the corner of his eyes, and looked over his shoulder with suspicion before looking back again, taking in the room. The picture was almost the same, but in the mirror, there were several additional items. Locating one of them, he walked to the spot it should be, and indeed, when he reached out, he touched the surface of something hard. Tracing his fingers over the object, the charm over it fell away and the cover of a book became visible.

"Tales of Beedle the bard." Harry read out aloud, and frowned, flipping through it. When seeing the contents, he wondered why the hell anyone would have wanted to hide a book with wizard fairy tales. "Babbity Rabbity and the Cackling Stump?" he snorted. He didn't see anything ordinary about it, save for a strange symbol that was drawn on one of the pages with pencil. He decided to ask Marvolo why it had been hidden.

Other hidden objects held more interest, like a pair of candles which burned with purple, freezing flames. One of them had a cord around it with a little card, reading: 'Death Candles, feed them with the life force of wandering souls and they never burn up!' Quickly, Harry put them back, shuddering when seeing they were still as if brand-new, even though the card told him they had been made around the 18th century. He wasn't sure as to **how** they could be fed with the life force of wandering spirits, but he was sure it wasn't nice.

He also found a set of tarot cards. Dudley had once received a set for his birthday after seeing a program about them on tv. He had set them on fire when he had predicted for himself that he would never achieve anything in life and would die young, but that was not before Harry had learnt how to use them. Even though he didn't really believe in divination, he was sure that Marvolo wouldn't keep a set of tarot cards hidden if he didn't believe them to have a certain value, so he picked them up and started to lay them out. However, when he had done so, they gleamed gold and rearranged themselves in a different pattern, from the Celtic cross spread Harry had lain out to the ellipse spread.

Turning them around, Harry sighed when noticing they were different from the cards he knew. Trying to identify the pictures, he saw a centaur, goblins, a Hippogriff and several other magical creatures. He took a pencil and some paper from the floor and wrote them down, deciding to ask Marvolo. He had no idea what creature signified what.

He lay them back on the table and began to pick up random books, trying to see if there were some catching titles. Oddly enough, he found several copies of Muggle books as well. After reading titles such as '100 ways to spell your teeth clean', 'My first flobberworm', 'decorate your house with Christmas', and similar books, he figured that here lay the books which were too useless for the library, and he ceased his search in favor of discovering the hidden items again. Seeing as the mirror in which they were visible could only show part of the room, he had to search the rest of the room as if he were blind, hands outstretched, waiting to bump into something.

With a yelp, he pulled back his hand as something bit him, and he swatted the spot, resulting in a soft 'thud', first where he hit it, whatever it was, and then another one on the floor as the thing fell on, dust rising from the wood. Fascinated, he watched the thing slowly gain colour, and was shocked when seeing it was a book as well, the same he had had to buy in his third year when Hagrid became teacher. Knowing now how to handle it, he quickly stroked it and it shuddered, falling open. Again, he didn't see what was so special about it that it should be hidden, until he discovered some pages in it that he first thought to be torn out. However, it appeared that they were added later, and he recognised Marvolo's handwriting.

It seemed to be a list of magical creatures, but when he scanned the list he saw none that he had learnt anything about. Upon reading it for a second time, he had to blink a few times to really believe he was reading it right.

"Wrackspurt. Nargle. Heliopath. Blibbering Humdinger... These are..." he said incredulously, not able to believe that he was reading the same names than Luna always talked about to whomever wanted to listen –or not- in a seemingly very serious study of the **Dark Lord**. He looked at the other loose pages and saw that it contained some extra information about every creature. Interested, he read about the habits of Nargles, how they climbed in mistletoes and cast spells on people who disliked each other to get them under it, to the feeding pattern of wrackspurt, who sucked up stray thoughts that wouldn't be missed, causing you to forget those things. He had to get a copy of this and show it to Hermione. He grinned when thinking of her perplexed expression, but then his face fell when it occurred to him that he could not tell her, for then he'd have to tell her where he got it, and how... He didn't want to have another 'Sirius reaction'. Maybe he'd show Luna though, he was certain she wouldn't ask how he'd obtained the information.

Stuffing the papers back again in the book, which was still purring, he put it back down and remembered where it lay before heading back to the entrance, taking care to throw a foul glare to the reflection with the hypnotising stare. He left the room and descended the stairs, 'Tales of Beedle the bard' under his arm and the crumpled paper with the tarot card prediction on it. Marvolo was out still, so Harry went back to his room, knowing the man would want to change after work, and thus he would certainly meet him there. He didn't have to wait long. Approximately twenty five minutes later, the Dark Lord opened the door, yawning.

"Hey love." he said in a tired voice, and shed his robe somewhere on the ground before groaning and throwing himself on the bed.

"Hard day?"

"You wouldn't believe it. Come here, I want to kiss you."

"In a cuddly mood?" Harry teased, and earned himself a glare.

Rolling his eyes, the teen sat down and met the kiss, wrapping his arms around his lover, who hummed appreciatively.

"So, what did you do today exactly?" Harry asked.

"Fieldwork. I am trying to figure out if there are thin places in the wards of Hogwarts. I couldn't break them before, but now I can get in, I might be able to break them from the inside out. I mean, if I want to confront Dumbledore sometime, I just can't make my grand entrance by climbing out of a dirty tunnel in some god-forgotten corridor, covered in grime."

"Oh, I bet Lucius would love it." Harry sniggered, thinking of the blond Death Eater. "I'm sure he has obsessive compulsive disorder."

"I'm fairly certain I would have noticed that before if that were true... But he is always covered in blood and dirt whenever there is a raid, so no, he hasn't."

"Wow... does his hair have tangles then?"

"He always puts it in a ponytail. And why are we talking about Lucius anyways? I don't want to think about him in my spare time. Or any of my minions..."

"Speaking of minions... Why is Bella so obsessed with you even if she knows she can't get you?"

"Jealous, my dear?"

"Not of** her**." Harry said, furrowing his brow.

"Then who?" Marvolo said, confused.

"Well," the teen said, fidgeting uncomfortably. "Did you ever... well, I know you haven't exactly **loved **a person before, but..."

"But yes, I took followers to bed." Marvolo finished, and sighed when seeing Harry's expression.

"Harry, you don't really think I wouldn't need relief in the past years, did you?"

"Of course not." Harry said. "I just want to know for certain that they won't make a pass on you again." he finished, feeling a bit foolish.

The older man chuckled. "I doubt it. I haven't slept with many men, and they all have lovers of their own now."

"Who?" Harry asked, truly curious now, and no longer worried "Rodulphus and Rabastan Lestrange for example. They're together now."

"Bellatrix' husband?" Harry exclaimed. "But... they're brothers! And one is married!"

"Love knows no restrictions or boundaries..." Marvolo murmured. "You and I are a prime example of that. And for the marriage... neither of them loves each other. Their marriage was arranged by their parents. Rodolphus' father refused to recognise his son was homosexual and told him he would have to marry Bellatrix. Rabastan never married though, for his parents died before they could arrange a marriage."

"What are these, medieval times?" Harry asked, scrunching his nose.

Marvolo looked at him oddly. "Arranging marriages is very common in pureblooded families, though there are some who ran away. I'm sure you know a few of the outcasts."

"Sirius." Harry mumbled. "And Tonks' mother, Andromeda. I don't understand though, why doesn't Rodolphus get a divorce?"

"Bellatrix has the money." Marvolo shrugged. "And it's not like they can't get along, they just don't love each other. As long as they can both bed whoever they want, they are fine with it. It isn't that favourable for Bella though, since she wants** me**, and I'm not single. And gay anyways."

"Must have been a blow for her..." Harry said cheerfully. "That her husband **and** his brother both got you once, while she didn't."

"I don't think she knows." the man laughed, glad that Harry was taking it so well. "So, what have you done today?"

"I had a talk with Nagini."

"Ah, she's finally back?"

"Yes. We chatted a bit during breakfast. Afterwards, I went to the third floor and discovered some strange items... Can you tell me why** this** was hidden, by the way? I mean, a fairy tale book is not something the Ministry would confiscate, were they ever to discover your home..." Harry said curiously.

"Ah,** that**... well, it may be true that it isn't dark, or dangerous, but it is, for those who read it well and have some historical knowledge, invaluable..." Marvolo said with a smirk.

* * *

Read and Review!

xx GeMerope


	10. Part I Chapter X

"Invaluable?" Harry snorted, not really believing it when he looked at the ragged cover. "Why?"

"Dumbledore had the original book at his office, and when I went there to try and get a job—"

"You** what**?"

"I tried to become a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Marvolo said, arching an eyebrow. "Anyway, he was studying this book, and when he went out of the office, I made a copy of it, including all the notes he had written in them. Like you, I wondered what he was doing with a fairy tale book… but look here…" the man said, and turned a few pages until Harry saw the strange symbol again. "This is the symbol of the so-called Hallows. They are three objects, with which the owner can conquer death itself. I tried to search for them, but to no avail. I didn't have the time to organise a full search, and I didn't stumble over any of them accidentally…Or maybe I did, I don't know."

"What kind of objects?"

"You better read the story first. It is based on the truth, like with so many sagas."

Marvolo handed Harry the book, and he began to read the tale of the three brothers. In the end, he closed it and gazed at the wall, lost in thoughts.

"You're saying they really exist? This stone, wand and cloak?"

"I'm positive. So is Dumbledore."

"One question: That invisibility cloak. What's so special about it? I mean, sure, they're rare, but aren't they all the same?"

The man looked up in surprise. "Of course not. Most have disillusion spells on them, or are made of Demiguise hair. However, they all lose their effect over time. What makes this particular cloak so special, is that throughout the centuries, it has survived, and supposedly is still as effective as when it was created. Imagine! A cloak that makes you invisible, always, without fail! And the other thing is that it should work as a shield against every hex and curse. It may be the one thing that protects one against the Killing curse…"

"Uhm, wait, what? You're talking about a cloak, that has survived centuries, still works perfectly and protects against curses on top of that?"

"Exactly. Pitifully enough, the chances to actually **find **it are as small as the chance that Dumbledore will die of his own this year."

"Hmm, I might start working on a condolence card for everyone then." Harry grinned, and then doubled over in laughter at the absurdity of it all.

"And **what**, may I ask, is so funny?"

"That cloak… is in my possession." The teen said, still grinning.

"I beg you pardon?" his lover said.

"I got it from Dumbledore. It was my dad's old cloak. A family treasure, so to say. Now I think of it, I've never been injured if I was under it either. I didn't know it was because of the cloak."

"Where is it now?" Marvolo said, perplexed.

Harry's face fell a bit. "Darn. The Order has it now. However, Ron and Hermione said they would take care of my stuff."

"I suppose it is safe then. But did you just say that you got it from Dumbledore?"

"Yes, I did. He must have borrowed it from my dad to study it…"

"I wonder why he gave it back…"

"Maybe he had no use for it anymore? Maybe, when it was finally in reach, it lost worth in Dumbledore's eyes? Often, when people strive for something their whole lives, and suddenly, they have it, they don't think it's interesting anymore. Why did** you** give up the hunt for these Hallows?"

"No progress, and I had better things to do than chase after fabulous objects that might exist… somewhere."

"I see your point."

"Yes, however, now I finally have a chance to see one of them, I might continue the search, if only for its scientific purposes. I'd love to see what exactly the secret behind that cloak is, for example. Can I study it, once you have it back?"

"You needn't ask that." Harry answered, taken aback. "Though I might need it as well, when trying to fulfill my tasks. Maybe you can study it at Hogwarts?"

"Yes… that might be best. I wonder if there are any clues that could lead to the other Hallows."

"What exactly is fact and fiction about them?"

"I am not sure. I do not know how this stone works. If it is the same as in the story, than it is not really useful. Bringing back people who do not want to be brought back can be very dangerous. I dabbled in Necromancy when I was in my thirties, and though I personally never went further than making Inferi—"

"What?"

"Living corpses. Muggles would call them zombies. They are controlled by the Dark wizard who created them."

"Ew. Continue please."

"I met several Necromancers who tried to communicate with the dead, or even bring them back. The last always failed though. However, the ones who could actually speak with the dead, said that it is very rare for spirits to want to come back to the living."

"I bet you would."

"Yes, I would. However, I can't."

"Can't?"

"No… did Dumbledore ever tell you why I was able to resurrect myself?"

"No. I wasn't even aware of the fact you could, not without a philosopher stone or the like."

"To cut a long story short, I've found a way to become immortal. It's good that the old man did not tell you… That lessens the possibility that he knows of it. It would be rather inconvenient for me if he did know."

Harry stared at him. "I… Immortal? Like… you can't die?"

"My body** can** die, but I can always find a new body. If it goes like last time however, it would take several years before I can come back. On the other hand, now I know what to do, so it may very well take just a few months."

"How?"

"The process is too long to explain, but if you want, I will tell you the basics. But first of all, I want you to think about if you want to hear it. There is knowledge that should be a secret to the world, lest it will cause destruction. Secondly, promise me to** never, ever** try to do this. At least, not of your own, and not without having a damn good reason. I may be hypocritical with this, because I made myself immortal when I was barely sixteen, and only with the help of books, but I knew exactly what I was doing, and** why**. In your case, you don't have a reason to want to live forever, right?"

"Well…" Harry said, unsure. "If **you're** immortal… I want to live with you as long as I possibly can. And when the Light finds out about my betrayal… No doubt would they try to kill me."

Marvolo sighed at that and gazed at Harry pensively for a few minutes. "Don't make rush decisions Harry. I thought it over for two years, knowing that I sacrificed a piece of my humanity every time I took a new step on the path to immortality. Can you? This will chance your being, my love. It will make you more… detached from the world, in some ways. I lost my emotions for years, before you showed up and made me find them again."

"Well,** I** have** you** for that, no?" Harry smiled. "Just explain how it is done. I can decide later."

"If I must… You have to make a Horcrux. A Horcrux is an object –any object- which you use to store a piece of your soul in. There are several ways of making one. For the process to be possible, you must rip your soul, so that you can store a piece of it in the object through spells. The easiest way to do this is murder. Killing rips the soul apart. It is a most painful process to do deliberately, for not only do you tear it, you also have to get it out of your body and into the object of choice."

"How high is the chance that Dumbledore knows?" Harry mused.

"He knows I am immortal, but I am not certain if he is aware of my Horcruxes."

"How many did you create?"

"I intended to make six, so I would have seven parts of soul, myself included. However, right now I have five. I wanted to use your death, when I tried to kill you as a baby, to complete the process. As you know, it got interrupted."

"And they're safe now?"

"As far as I know, they are all intact… I didn't feel anything, and I'd say that, if a piece of your soul is murdered, one would feel it, no?"

"So, these… objects, how would they look?"

"Mine?"

"I mean in general. How would they react, when they have an actual soul?"

"The soul would take over the object, and thus it would get a conscience of sorts. How it reacts depends greatly on what you use. Even I am not entirely aware of how my soul pieces act in the objects I put them in."

"Would you mind telling me about them?" Harry asked, chewing on his bottom lip, wondering if he was about to pass a privacy border.

Indeed, Marvolo's eyes bored in his for a moment. Then he took a deep breath and absently rubbed his head, his gaze drifting away again. "I suppose… I made my first when the chance was there. I had intended to make one, but I had not yet searched for a victim whose death I would use. It happened on accident. Well, the killing part. I first have to explain you how the girl I used was killed… You see, there is a room at Hogwarts, made by Slytherin when the castle was built…"Harry froze on this, not liking where he was going. "He named it the Chamber of Secrets, and placed a giant statue of himself in it, as well as a creature, his favourite pet. Have you ever heard about a Basilisk?"

_Hell, I've had its blood and drool and poison all over me._

Harry merely nodded, not able to speak.

"Good, that will make things easier. Only the heir of Slytherin could open the chamber, you see, and release the snake so it could fulfill its purpose: ridding the world of filth. I have to admit that by that time, I was absolutely anti-Muggle, mudblood and blood-traitor, and also acted upon that hate, other than now. Anyway, I'm getting off trail. I released the creature from its chamber and seized control over her. It went well for a while –she could travel through the school by using the pipelines which were no longer in use-, but one day, she came outside and her gaze fell on a girl who had been crying in the bathroom. Ridiculously, the entrance of the chamber led into the girl's bathroom." Marvolo snorted. "The basilisk's gaze fell upon her and she died. I used her death to—"

"Wait a minute!" Harry frowned. "How was your soul ripped by the Basilisk accidentally killing her?"

"I released the serpent, and I had commanded it to kill whoever stood in its way. So in fact, it was I who killed her, and because I perceived it as such, I was able to create a Horcrux. I used my old diary to store my soul in it. I gave it to Lucius, so he would keep it safe until I returned. I suppose I have to ask it back one of these days…"

Harry's stomach twisted, but he was too much of a coward to admit rightout that it had been him who had stabbed the diary. Marvolo however, noticed something was wrong when he kept silent.

"Harry? What is wrong?"

"Your diary… it… it…" Not able to proceed, he just threw himself on the man and began to sob apologies as the consequences of his actions two years ago came crashing down on him, constricting his breathing. He'd destroyed a part of Marvolo's soul. In a way, he'd murdered his lover.

"Harry, **please!** What are you doing?"

Fearfully, Harry looked into ruby eyes. "I killed it. Your diary. I… stabbed it with a Basilisk fang." He whispered.

The last thing before he fainted was disbelief and betrayal struggling for dominance in the man's eyes.

XXx

He didn't know what to do, what to say. He could hardly believe Harry's words. Destroyed? A piece of his soul was destroyed? And on top of that, Harry claimed it to be his fault? Looking down on the teen, he cradled Harry in his arms. No. Whatever he did, he would not blame his lover for it. If anyone, he should go see Lucius to… talk… about the matter. Far more important questions then –he could figure that out later- came to the surface. Why hadn't he known? Was it because he had been in a spirit-like state or was it something else? Were his other Horcruxes safe? If Basilisk venom had destroyed the diary, then what else could be used to destroy a Horcrux? And was that fang still at Hogwarts, within Dumbledore's reach? He laid Harry on the bed, kissing the boy's forehead, and scribbled a long note to explain where he was going and what he would do, and made it abundantly clear that he was **not** angry at his love.

He stalked out of the room and headed to the library, where he went to the back and through a secret door in the wall. He lit the small stone room and looked at the shelves, summoning 'Secrets of the Darkest Arts' which he had copied from Hogwarts' library to be able to study it thoroughly. Flipping through the pages, he searched for a particular section, and placed the book open on the table when he had found what he had been searching for.

Following the instructions, he took a piece of parchment and some charcoal, and coloured the parchment until it was fully covered in black. Slicing open his hand, he let blood drip on the parchment, letting the charcoal absorb it.

"**A Carbone Sanguinis, Anima: Prodio**." he muttered.

The paper rippled, and slowly, black, ghostly images of himself rose from the paper. He breathed out in relief when he saw four come out, all different ages. It appeared that only the first had been destroyed. Then, his breath caught, as a fifth rose, and fascinated, he saw it was older then the others. he wracked his brain, trying to figure out how this could have happened. He had not created a sixth Horcrux, had he?

"Speak, my soul." Marvolo commanded the image, his eyes narrowed. "What is your vessel?"

"My vessel?" it spoke, its voice like a shadow. "Do you not know? Whenever you look in his eyes, whenever he ~speaks.~ His Horcrux hissed. "You are fortunate that he is unconscious now, for else it wouldn't have been able to appear in front of you. His mind is too strong to break from the inside out for me, although the bond has been strengthened ever since you used his blood to gain your new body."

"It cannot be…"

"And yet it is… How peculiar, that fate always binds us together, no? In his mind, I have seen strange things though, some of which I do not like… how could I, Lord Voldemort, bind myself willingly to my enemy? How could I surrender to that weakness which is love? Has a decade as a spirit made you forget the prophecy?"

"Begone!" Marvolo hissed, breaking the image while his other selves watched in silence. "I will not have a past me decide my actions!" he glared at the other, hovering black images.

"Now, you are safe still? Not moved from where I brought your vessels?"

"I have been." One of them whispered, and Marvolo snapped his head to the side to look at his Locket-Horcrux.

"By whom?"

"Black. Regulus Black. We underestimated the magic of the house-elf we borrowed to hide our soul, who apparated out of the cave and went back to wail at his master. Regulus swore revenge. However, he could not destroy it, nor could his elf, and thus I am at the house of Black's parents. Conveniently enough, it is also the Order's headquarters. Now what I am interested about… what is your new vessel? I couldn't make much out of it."

Marvolo pondered on telling his past selves about Harry, for they would have no knowledge at all about him, and looked at the book again, knowing that there should be a way to transfer his memories –all memories- to his Horcruxes. It was too much to explain.

He growled when he read that the spells had to be done within the presence of the Horcruxes instead of like this.

"I will show you when I come find you. One of the Horcruxes has been destroyed, so I will take no more risks and keep you with me."

"Good. Are we dismissed?"

"Not yet. Are any of you in the possession of someone who knows what you are?"

"My vessel is still within the ruins of the gaunt house." One spoke.

"Mine in Bella's vault."

"Mine in the chamber of lost things."

"The Order is busy with reorganising and cleaning the house. One of them steals everything he can to sell it himself. They do not know what I am, but there is a good chance that I won't be at the Order's soon."

"Who is this thief?"

"Mundungus Fletcher."

"I'll take care of him. Is there any hope that they will not remove you from the house?"

"They are throwing everything else away, but the elf is still alive and tries to keep items. He already did a few tries to take me. I suppose he is our only hope right now."

"Good, then I may still have time. If they remove you, where will they bring you?"

"I am not sure. They just throw everything away. The Waste-Centre perhaps?"

"Damn it. I hope the elf hides you. You are dismissed now."

The images disappeared in the parchment again and it became blank once more, as if having absorbed the charcoal and blood. Despite the uncertainty of whether or not he could find his locket in time, he felt relieved. The others were still where he had placed them, so finding them wouldn't be such a problem. He now had a way into Hogwarts, he could just apparate to the Gaunt house, and order Bella to bring him the cup from her vault. Deciding to begin solving these problems right now, he got up and spun around, his destination clear in his head.

Marvolo landed in the soft, soggy soil. It was raining heavily, a fact he was glad for, because it would reduce the chances to be spotted. He cast a warming and a water-repelling charm on himself to avoid becoming frozen and soaked to the bone. With steady pace, he walked upon the ruins of the small cot. Last time he had come here, it had still been an actual house… He called out in Parseltongue and dismissed all the wards he had placed around the site. It had been tricky magic he had woven here. It would make it exceptionally hard for enemies to take the Horcrux, but he himself could take it without obstacles. He inspected the stone to make sure it wasn't broken, and smiled when feeling the faint heartbeat. He placed it on his middle finger and whisked away to his home.

Before summoning Bellatrix, he decided to go see if Harry was awake already, and he found the teen sitting on his bed with the note in his hands, smiling sadly at it.

"Harry?" he asked softly. "Are you alright?"

Harry looked up and smiled, nodding. "Yeah. How'd it go?"

"I've decided to try and get my remaining Horcruxes here. I found one of them already. I'm about to get the second. The other two will be harder to find. And then… there is something I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

"That night… when I tried to kill you as a baby and the curse rebounded… it looks like a sliver of my soul broke off and attached itself to the nearest object it could find."

He let it sink in and realisation dawned on Harry's face. "You mean…" he rasped out. "That I have your soul… inside of me?"

"Yes. It would explain a lot. The Parseltongue, the pain of your scar…"

"About that… I haven't felt anything past weeks."

"It could be because of the ritual. I used your blood to gain a body. However, at the graveyard, your pain was even more intense than it was before, so I must admit that theory is probably inaccurate. Perhaps it was something I did subconsciously, and now I don't hate you anymore… well, these are all speculations."

"Yeah… You really don't hate me?" Harry said, looking up hopefully, and the gaze tore at Marvolo's heart.

"Of course not. I love you." He said, and embraced the teen tightly.

"I love you too." Harry whispered.

"I know… now, would you like to see how I order Bella and Lucius around?"

Mirth entered his love's eyes. "Always." He smirked.

"Then come."

They walked out of the room, and when they were on their way to Bellatrix' chambers, for she still lived here while she and her husband –and said husband's brother/lover- had nowhere else to stay, Harry broached the subject of the Hallows once again.

"You didn't tell me about that wand. The Elder wand."

"Ah yes. It is the object that initially captured my interest. Imagine an unbeatable wand… However, while it is true that it cannot be beaten, it can certainly be stolen. I researched the subject, and a simple expelliarmus charm could make someone else master of the wand. Here as well, I am more interested to see how it was made then actually use it. –though certainly, it would be nice to have- I simply don't have the time right now to search for it.

"One of my tasks is to copy and hand over Dumbledore's memories no? There might be memories among them about the Hallows."

"Hmm… if that is so, I'm sure you'll come across them. It's good to look into. Ah, we've arrived. Now, act like you did with Severus and all will be fine." Marvolo chuckled.

XXx

Bellatrix looked up when she heard a knock on her door. "Yes?" she asked, rather rudely. It opened and she froze when the Dark Lord crossed the threshold in all his glory. She tried not to stare at his perfection and lowered her gaze to the floor when falling on her knees, using the motion to reveal as much of her cleavage as possible.

"Milord. To what do I owe this honour?" She asked, and raised her head again to look up to him in adoration. Irritation and jealousy shot through her when the Potter brat stood behind her Lord.

_Unworthy scoundrel. _She thought and sneered inwardly. She honestly didn't know why he had been accepted so easily by the rest. Couldn't they see he was just a tool for their cause, to be cast aside as soon as his tasks were done? Tasks that he could probably never accomplish either. She wondered why** she** hadn't been chosen for a mission lately. But now he was here, maybe with a favour for her? Her heart swelled with pride when he spoke her name.

"Bella." He spoke, his voice as powerful and deadly as he himself. "I assume you still have that cup entrusted to you?"

"Of course! It is safe in my vault still milord!"

"I need it. Go to Gringotts and get it for me."

"Now?" she said with surprise, and froze when realising she had questioned him. His gorgeous eyes narrowed dangerously, and she shivered under the intensity of his gaze.

"I beg you pardon?" he said in a low whisper.

"I mean… of course Lord, I will get it this instant!"

"Good. Go, there is no time to waste."

Knowing better than to stall, she rushed out of the room to the meeting hall, where she could apparate, and went to Diagon alley, disguising herself with a few spells so she looked like a middle-aged short woman with brown, straight hair and light blue eyes. With a confidential stride, she walked to the colossal marble building and entered it. She was probably one of the few persons who liked goblins. They weren't interested in who you were or what side you were on. They treated every witch and wizard the same. Rude, but with blatant honesty. They always spoke their minds. Seeing one she recognised, she walked up to him.

"Tarpit?" she said coolly, and the goblin looked up, disturbed, before revealing a row of sharp, pointy teeth when he grinned.

"Mrs Lestrange… You've come for your vault? Storage?"

"No, I need to collect an item."

He scowled. "Goblin-made, I presume?"

"I believe so. However, it is not my decision."

"Ah, I see… Is **he** planning moves for us Goblins yet?" the goblin asked in a sour tone.

"No. My Lord is perfectly fine with your current business."

"Good. We would not want wizards to mingle in our affairs… Lords or not."

Bellatrix scrunched her nose when the almost-insult was uttered concerning her Lord, but decided to let it slip. "Here is the key." She said. Tarpit inspected it and nodded, waving another goblin to bring her to her vault.

Twenty minutes later, she had accomplished her mission and walked out of the building, the shrunken cup in her pocket. However, she stopped when she heard someone call out:

"Buy here, nice artifacts, jewelry, furniture, books and more! All for a nice price!"

Interested, she approached the small man, and snorted when seeing a third-rate thief.

"Let me see your… wares." she said, and the man turned to her with a hopeful and greedy gaze. Her eyes scanned the goods, but she saw nothing noteworthy. "You call this merchandise?" she asked, one of her eyebrows quirked. "This is garbage!"

"Antique!" he defended. "All antique!"

"I'm sure…" she scoffed.

"No, wait, Madam! Come by tomorrow, and I will show you my finest wares! This is only a fraction of what I have!"

"Really… then what are you fabulous treasures?"

"I… I have a locket…" he said, lowering his voice till it was but a whisper. "Very valuable, with real emeralds on it!"

"And that is actually in your possession, or do you yet have to steal it? Oh no, don't say anything, **please**," she said when he opened his mouth to reply. "It isn't hard to see that you do not have enough money to acquire such a fine piece as you described."

"I will be able to have it by tomorrow." He scowled.

"Hmm, I don't have anything to lose by just looking, have I? Very well, I'll come by tomorrow. Have it ready by then."

"Thank you madam! I assure you, it's a good choice!"

"We'll see." She said skeptically.

She apparated back, apologised profoundly for the delay, and handed her Lord the cup, marveling in the feeling of his skin when her fingers grazed hers. She managed to throw Potter the most evil look she could muster and sat down in front of the fire again with a book. Yes, her evening had gone well…

XXx

When Bellatrix apparated away to get Marvolo's Horcrux, they went to the meeting room, where his lover called for Lucius. The man came immediately, thoroughly confused as to why he had been called. Harry saw that Marvolo was a bit in a menacing mood, something which aroused him to no end.

"Lucius… I take it you have no idea why I summoned you? None at all?" the man said coolly. Remaining silent, Malfoy just shook his head. "Really… Years ago, before my… absence… I entrusted a book to you. A very important object. Any idea where it is?"

Malfoy paled, and shot a quick glance at Harry, who ignored him in favor of glancing at his lover, thinking about how hot he looked from the side.

"I…" he began, and wetted his lips when a strangled sound came out. "I didn't think it was all that important…" he whispered, tensing up when his Lord's wand came out and Voldemort began to circle around him.

"And here I thought I had made that clear. Were my orders that vague? To just keep it with you on a safe place? I must say that I am disappointed with you, Lucius. What happened to it, exactly? What caused its destruction?"

Lucius frowned, and looked at Harry again. "He—" Malfoy began, and cried out when he was thrown through the room a few feet and smacked on the floor, a red streak on his face.

"I don't recall telling you to ensure it went to Hogwarts, where my enemies were. I don't recall telling you to use it for your own gain, as I'm sure that is what happened. **I didn't tell you to let it out of your sight**!" He yelled, outraged, and his wand swept down again. Lucius cramped and his limbs twitched under the curse. His breathing became ragged and hoarse, as if he had trouble breathing. "And yet you did… explain yourself!"

The curse was lifted, and Lucius took a moment to recover before he spoke, avoiding Voldemort's gaze. "I have no excuse." He whispered hoarsely. "It is as you say, Milord. I was simply looking for my own profit."

"At least he's honest." Harry spoke up, and Marvolo stared at him with disbelief. "What? He could have tried to worm his way out of it and he didn't…"

"He should have told me himself the moment I came back!" the man snarled. "I was lucky I came to know it **now**, but what if I had discovered this too late? I should tear him apart and feed him to my chimaeras!"

"You have chimaeras?" Harry said in astonishment.

"Yes, but that doesn't matter now…" he said and began to pace. "What should I do with you, Lucius? Clearly, I can't trust you as much as I used to. However, you have made it far in politics. It would be a waste to try and get someone else in that position…"Harry could see his brain working, trying to consider all possibilities in mere seconds. "I ban you from your position as second in command Lucius." Marvolo said, frowning. "Also, I will cancel your current tasks until I have found something more fit for you. In the meantime, do as you wish on the Ministry, and work harder so that you may get closer to the Minister. I need him to be controlled like a puppet, so that I can use him to change more laws. Understood?"

"Yes, Milord." Malfoy said, quivering, and obviously relieved that he hadn't been killed.

"Now, go home. We won't speak about this matter anymore."

"Thank you, Lord."

Marvolo spun on his heel and stalked out of the room, his anger still clear, yet not so much as before. Guessing he wanted to check if Bellatrix was back already, Harry rushed after him. It surely had been a full day, he thought, when really getting the need to go to bed.

* * *

Some days passed, in which not much eventful happened. Another meeting was held, but it was more of the same, though Harry heard Karkaroff had been found. He had guessed that he would be killed for his treachery, but Marvolo had rethought that decision, not wanting to lose the control over Durmstrang. Karkaroff was now at the school again, though under supervision of some Death Eaters. Furthermore, the Alpha of Nicane had visited the dark quarters to establish an alliance between him and the Dark side. It appeared Greyback had given in and shared the land sooner than Harry had thought he would.

Harry was now sauntering through the library and checking up some information about potions when a group of Death Eaters came in. Harry remembered their faces and recognised them as a team that was working on trying to erase trails the other Death Eaters made. Remembering the tasks he had to do at Hogwarts, which would surely involve making sure his tracks were covered, he decided to ask for some tips and spells. He hadn't seen Eyolf anymore, and wanted to make sure he didn't made huge errors. Thus, he needed instruction.

"I'm sorry, can I ask something?" he asked upon approaching the group. They looked up in surprise and wariness, but some of them looked friendly.

"Naturally." A man said.

"Good. I got certain... missions, but seeing as I am not used to being very careful when I do something, do you have any spells which I could use, or information in general? I know you are part of the tailing team, and thus I thought..."

"Certainly, certainly." The same man spoke again. "I'll teach you the basics, if you wish?"

"Would be helpful."

"Great. Now, You cannot perform magic here right?"

"Pitifully enough."

"Indeed it is... well, I'll just have to teach you the non-magical part of it. "He waved at a table, and suddenly it was full of trinkets and dusty objects. "You can only learn by doing, and doing it fast. I give you fifteen seconds to bring me the black quill, the small round vase, a silver watch and the piece of silk. Starting now."

Walking towards the table, he quickly found the artifacts and brought them to the man. "Here. And now?"

"And now you have fifteen seconds to place them back again. And make sure it is on the same spot. Exactly the same spot." He smirked. Harry blinked, not having expected that, and went towards the table again. Then he stood there with a puzzled expression, wondering what he had taken from where.

"Time's up." The voice behind him said dryly. Let me guess, you had no idea where to place what?"

"Yeah." Harry admitted sheepishly.

"Don't worry, happens to everyone. Really, **everyone**. Now there's a handy spell for this, which you can practice later, but for now, try to take in as much as you can of the scene in the first few moments before taking the items..."

The rest of the hour, Harry was instructed how to blend in with the shadows, how to walk without sound and to remember how to place back objects within a short period of time. It was really helpful, and he made a mental note to practice every one of those skills every day from now on, so it would aid his missions. Breaking into Dumbledore's office would go more smoothly then he'd anticipated when he'd been given the assignment, he thought.

* * *

**A Carbone Sanguinis, Anima: Prodio**: By blooded charcoal, soul, come forth.

Read and Review!

xx GeMerope


	11. Part I Chapter XI

Okay, to avoid confusion and all: You didn't miss anything, the beginning of this chapter looks like you'll fall somewhere in the story, but I didn't really have anywhere I could continue, so I skipped some days . Harry still has five days before school starts again.

Enjoy!

* * *

"Shut. Up. I can't concentrate." Harry snapped, and the mad cackling bitch turned to look at him.

"Or you'll do **what**, bite me?" she mocked him.

The teen grinned. "I know someone who would like an excuse to do so…"he teased, stroking Nagini's scales.

"Afraid to fight me yourself? Will you go running to your Master, little pet?" Bellatrix sneered.

Harry balled his fists and got to his feet. "No wands." He ordered, and she huffed, but stuck her wand away.

"You're making a grave mistake, potty." she told him before running at him.

She wasn't fast enough for him though. He had learnt to evade not only Dudley, but also his much quicker 'friends', so dodging and outrunning Bella wasn't much of a task to him. After a few minutes of avoiding her sharp nails and even landing a few blows on her himself, she snarled and made an unexpected move that resulted in her nails digging in his arm. Instinctively, he twisted around and landed a punch in her face with a satisfying crunch. She howled in pain and Harry froze as she pulled her wand.

"You'll pay for that! You'll pay! **Crucio**!" the woman screamed, and Harry cried out in pain, writhing on the ground, not knowing how long this was going on. He should have known better than to provoke a fight with Bellatrix. She wasn't one to play fair. Needles pricked his skin and knives slit him open. His breath failed him, and his vision turned black a few times. Harry searched for an escape, anything to get away from here, to break the curse. It was hard to think, and he screamed. He felt something within him snap, and wondered if this would last until he would go mad. Dark coiled around him and the pain faltered for a moment, a piercing scream that was not his own cutting through the air. He looked down on the scene, a woman with black hair lying on the ground as a teen stood up from the floor, his hair falling in his eyes and his head down. Faintly, Harry could make out a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt. Slowly, the boy raised his arm and black, smokey snakes came from his hand, devouring the woman. A crazed grin split the face of the teen as the body of the woman became charred, burned alive.

Harry stretched out his hand and touched the face of the teen. The head turned and Harry stared into green eyes, brighter than ever. Smiling, he took back the control over his body, falling to his knees the moment his senses returned, his limbs aching from the torture still. He frowned when looking at the dead body, wondering if he should feel anything. Impassive, he watched Bellatrix fall apart, until only ashes remained. An unearthly sparkle caught his attention, and he brushed the ashes off a shiny object. Fascinated, he traced shining emeralds with his finger. He pulled back and regarded the locket with suspicion when feeling a pulse, like a metal heartbeat. He recognised the magic and turned on his heel, not sparing Bellatrix' remains another glance.

Seeing as his lover wasn't home, he walked outside and, looking up to the sky, he saw dark clouds, the harbinger of a thunderstorm. The air hung heavy and hot around him. He narrowed his eyes when noticing a group of people appear, Marvolo one of them. He rushed towards him and smiled, his eyes litting up.

"Marvolo!" he said.

"Harry…" his lover answered, and leaned close, only to stop and frown at him. "Harry… what happened? Something feels off… and is that fire I smell? Did something burn down? Are you alright?"

"You could say that…" he replied, vague. "I feel better than ever, though I don't know if I'm really okay. I also feel odd… How did the raid go?"

"Good. We managed to seriously diminish the number of Aurors the Ministry has, and made it look like it was their own fault. An experiment gone wrong. Now, what happened?"

"I was hit with a Cruciatus curse."

The Dark Lord froze. "**What**?" he hissed, his voice turning cold.

"Bellatrix."

"I'll kill her."

"Already done." Harry hummed, intense pleasure rising within him at the thought of her death.

Shocked, Marvolo gazed down at him and looked in his undisturbed eyes. "I beg you pardon?"

"I don't know how, but something… snapped within me. I'm not too sure of to what extent the damage is, but I'm fairly certain it somehow got me over my aversion to killing…" he said airily, not really able to bring himself to care. "I didn't do it consciously, but all that remained was a pile of ash, plus this." He handed his lover the locket.

The man shook himself from his stupor, looked down at the locket in his hand and stuffed it in an inside pocket, regarding Harry with concern. "Come." He said, and grabbed the teen's hand, leading him away to their room. "Sit down. Now, I'm going to delve in your mind. Please try to not throw me out. I'm going to try and see what exactly happened."

Marvolo's fingertips touched his temples lightly and Harry closed his eyes, reveling in the contact. A presence shifted in his mind and he was pulled within himself, seeing memories flash by fast, until he came to a stop, soaring in a dark space with coloured threads.

"Ah, I see." A voice next to him said with a tinge of sadness, and he turned his head to the side to see his lover, floating graciously beside him.

"Is this… in my mind?" he asked, astonished.

"Yes. Now, these threads all reflect an aspect of your personality. Powerful mind magic can sometimes damage these. The Cruciatus curse is also a form of mind magic. It looks like it has severed some strings. Do you feel detached?"

"A bit. I had an out-of-my-body experience before, and now as well it feels… strange… like I'm not totally myself.

"I'm not surprised. Your sense of pity and empathy has been shredded to nothing, compassion and sympathy have been seriously battered, and there is damage on so many other things that I don't even know where to begin. I could try to mend some damage, but I'm not too sure if I can bring you back to the same state you were in before."

"I… I don't think I'd want that either. I can see so much clearer now. I think that all these confusing emotions would have stood in the way in this war. I could hardly stand it to see a person get hurt, be it friend or enemy."

"You understand why **I **wanted to get rid of my emotions?" Marvolo grinned.

"Totally. I'm just glad that it doesn't seem like my love for you has suffered."

The man's eyes softened and he pulled Harry close. Nothing needed to be said on that, really. "I'll just… start to work on this."

"Sure." The teen said, and watched Marvolo as he touched the strings, repairing the damage. With every piece that was healed, he began to feel different, more like his old self, and all of a sudden, he gasped, and tears filled his eyes.

"Harry?" he heard, but he just shook his head, hugging himself.

"What was that?" he breathed out. "What were you healing?"

"Guilt."

"Ah. I see." He whispered with a small voice, now recognising the emotion that flooded through his veins. Reality came crashing down on him. He had killed someone. She had deserved it of course but… he'd killed someone. He shuddered and tried to shake it off.

After what seemed like eternity, he was born anew, all his feelings newly formed. His lover guided him out of his mind, and when he regained awareness in the room again, Marvolo got up to give him some time for himself, but Harry grabbed his sleeve and looked up to him with despair in his eyes.

"Please. I don't… want to be alone now." He swallowed heavily. "Hug me?" he asked, and sighed in delight as he was embraced in a tight hug.

"Harry?" Marvolo asked after a while, and the teen looked up. It was obvious that the man was burning to ask him a question, but didn't know if the timing was right.

"Yes?"

"That locket you gave me. You found it near Bellatrix?"

"Yeah… it felt like you, so I thought I'd better give it to you."

"It's one of my Horcruxes." He mumbled.

"Really? I wonder how she obtained it." Harry frowned.

"Maybe that thief managed to get his hands on it. My Horcrux told me-"

"**Told **you?" Harry said, skeptically.

"There is a spell that allows me to communicate with the pieces of soul from a distance. It told me that there was someone who was stealing all kinds of artifacts to sell it from the Order's headquarters. My Horcrux had landed there as well… I'm glad I have it back now… I think I have to go, to inform Rodolphus of the death of his wife. I doubt that he'll think it a great loss, but he was the only one she was close to, plus, well, he** was** her husband. Do you feel well enough for me to leave?"

"Can I come with you?" Harry asked, tightening his desperate grip on Marvolo's robes.

"Of course. Can you change clothes first? You still smell like fire and… burned Bellatrix."

"Oh, yeah." Harry said, looking down at his clothes. He shrugged his robe off, shooting his lover a glare when he kept staring. "At least have the decency to** pretend** to look away."

"Why should I?" Marvolo asked, shooting him a lecherous grin. The man got up and came to stand directly behind Harry, trailing Harry's exposed body with light caresses, sighing when reaching one of the scars that adorned the teen's skin.

"One day, I'll make them regret they were ever born." He heard the man mutter.

"Can I help?" he smirked, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

Marvolo blinked and barked out a laugh. "I'm beginning to like these changes," he said.

"Good, cause you're going to have to put up with them, whether you like them or not."

"I will live." The man said.

"Marvolo? I hadn't wanted to think about it till now, but in five days, I'll have to go back to Hogwarts. I probably have to leave even sooner, so I can go to the Order's headquarters." he said sadly.

"I know." His lover answered thoughtfully, his voice tinged with sadness. "You'll probably have to begin thinking of a story. Leaving on your own is not an option, seeing as all of your belongings were still there, and you left your wand as well. Seeing as Dumbledore found my magic at your family's home, you better tell him what he wants to hear, the kidnapping story. Your friends however…"

"I already told them that I was safe. Or at least, that I wasn't really sure whether I was kidnapped or not. I was thinking… are your Death Eaters in a position to withhold information from you?"

"Only if they are very skilled in mind magic. I can only think of three persons who are, Severus, Lucius and Rabastan."

"Lucius wouldn't mind to act as if he kidnapped me to bring me to you and in the end decided he would profit greatly from a friendship with the Boy Who Lived, would he?"

"Sounds like something Lucius would do."

"Indeed. Of course, he couldn't risk exposure, so I wasn't allowed to go out, or practice magic."

"It appears I have found Lucius a new role already." Marvolo said, smiling thinly. "I assume you begged him to let you have a few days with your friends before returning to school?"

"I still need to go to Diagon Alley, and I wouldn't mind seeing the Order's headquarters. Also, I have met a few of their members after the Tournament, but not all of them. So yes."

"I'll miss you." Marvolo confessed, and then seemed surprised by his own words.

"I'll miss you too." Harry said, and flung himself into the man's arms.

* * *

Read and Review!

xx GeMerope


	12. Part I Chapter XII

Harry let his fingers glide over everything in the room, as if wanting to remember it with his skin. His eyes were closed in concentration.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't want to forget anything." The teen said. "If I can recall how it feels in my mind, then I know it was real."

"Aren't you forgetting something then?" he smirked, and Harry looked momentarily confused before chuckling.

"I'm saving the best for last." he said with a smirk.

"I'm sure Nagini will like that." Marvolo replied, and he laughed when Harry walked over to him and straddled his lap.

"You know very well who I meant."

"I'd hope so." he whispered huskily. "but before you are going to get your… remembrance of my body…" he said, and let his fingers ghost over Harry's face. "There is something else I want to do."

The teen looked at him in confusion. "What?"

"Come, dress yourself into a more… appropriate attire ." he said, waving vaguely to the bathrobe his lover was wearing.

"Where are we going?"

"Out. I promised you when we went to the Amazon Rainforest, that we would dine somewhere together as well, didn't I?"

Harry's face split into a grin, and the teen flung his arms around Marvolo's neck. "You're serious? We're eating out?"

"Yes. Now, give me some space, I need to… amend my looks."

"You'd better change mine as well. I might be recognized."

"No worries, we'll eat in the Muggle world."

"Why?" Harry asked, surprised.

"Because I know a wonderful restaurant there. Do you like Japanese food?"

"Japanese? Please tell me we're just going to go to a Japanese restaurant in England, and not in Japan itself…"

"Well actually…"

Harry laughed. "I never tasted it, but if you think it is good, then I guess it is. I wish you wouldn't have to change your looks though…"

Marvolo looked at him with fondness. "I suppose that, if you really don't want me to do that… it is not like there will we wizards who eat there."

"Are you sure?"

"I have never seen magicians in that restaurant till now."

Harry smiled and kissed him on the lips. "So, what should I wear?"

"Casual, but neat."

"This would not be, perchance, the most expensive restaurant in the city?"

"I'm sure there are **more** expensive ones… if you search very hard."

Harry sighed and rolled his eyes. "That you still have enough money to finance a war is beyond me."

"The war doesn't really cost me money… I don't pay my servants, and the main weapons we need are wands. Which they buy themselves… There are only a few things that I have to finance."

"Like?"

"Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder. It is quite useful. Like a very thick, black smog. No spell can remove it or light a way through until the effect is gone. Now, dress."

Soon, Harry had changed into nice-fitting, black jeans and a dark green t-shirt with a black jacket over it. Marvolo looked him over with appreciation, and tried to flatten down his hair a bit.

"No use." The teen grinned, and turned his head to kiss Marvolo's fingers. "It won't lie down."

"Maybe you need to grow it out…"

"I don't know… the only thing I want to change about my looks are my glasses. I think contact lenses would be better. At least they can't break when someone hits me."

"Nobody will hit you from now on, and why didn't you ever just get your vision corrected with spells?"

"Spells?" Harry said, blinking. "There is a spell for that?"

Marvolo laughed. "You could have asked me sooner. I didn't know you wanted to get rid of your glasses. Wait…" He took his wand and pointed it at Harry's eyes. "Alright, do you have myopia or hyperopia?"

"Uh, what?"

"Nearsightedness or farsightedness." Marvolo sighed.

"Near."

"Hmm, let's see… **Lens alternatus.**"

Harry felt his eyes become cold, and blinked a few times. When he opened them again, everything was blurry, until Marvolo took off his glasses.

"Wow." He said, looking around. He saw clearer than ever. How did you do that?"

"Normally, the light that falls into your eye reaches your retina on one point. With myopia, that point is too early, so when the light reaches your retina, the light has already crossed itself and your vision becomes blurry. This works just like a contact lens. It iss placed on your eye and makes sure that the light doesn't cross, but meets in one point again."

"Ah."

"Did you understand a word of what I said?"

"No, but I'm going to look it up so I understand it next time."

"Do that." Marvolo said dryly. "Now, are you ready?"

"Depends…" Harry asked, wary. "How will we travel?"

Smirking, Marvolo cast his wand at a nearby quill. "_**Portus**_." Still having a shit-eating grin, he dropped it into the upheld hand of a glaring boy.

A few nauseating moments later, Harry blinked against the lights of the city. It took him a few seconds to realise that, despite the lights, the sky was dark.

"It's night?"

"Three am I believe."

"What? Where are we going to find a restaurant that's still open?"

"This one is open 20 hours a day."

" They actually have customers at this time?"

"We'll be there, right?"

"Yeah, but we're wizards."

"The less customers, the sooner we'll have our food." Marvolo smiled, and Harry rolled his eyes while taking hold of Marvolo's arm, who looked down with surprise.

"Just a question, being gay isn't forbidden here, right?"

"No, though if we ever want to be wed, we can't do that here."

Harry stared at him with wide eyes. "Did you just…"

"It was just a matter of speaking."

"Oh." Harry said, looking to the ground, confused about his feelings.

"We're here."

He looked up, forgetting about his confused emotions, when he saw the building. "Whoa, it's beautiful!"

"It certainly is."

They entered the restaurant, and Harry was immediately taken with the nice atmosphere. It looked neat and comfortable, and had, once they reached the upper floor, a great view over the night life of the city.

"Where are we, exactly?"

"In the centre of Tokyo. Shinjuku."

"Tokyo… how strange, Brazil, Japan… to think I never even got outside of Surrey for eleven years…" Harry laughed. "Thank you. For taking me here."

Marvolo took Harry's hand and placed a kiss on it. "It's my pleasure." He murmured, and guided the teen to a table near the window.

"So, you come here often then? It seems you know the way."

"Indeed. I love the food here, and the view." He motioned to the city underneath them.

"It's lovely. Any suggestions as to what I should eat?"

"Take the first menu with Japanese bouillabaisse and Kobe beef, it's delicious."

"How much is 14600 yen in pounds?" Harry said, studying the menu –which was also in English, luckily enough-

Marvolo smirked. "Don't worry about the money and just order it love." he smiled.

The corner of Harry's mouth lifted and he closed the menu. The waiter soon came to take their orders, though he was visibly intimidated by Marvolo's appearance.

"Konbanwa, Akai-san." he said, and grinned when the man jumped and looked at him with fear, though he quickly schooled it.

"Konbanwa. Nani o osagashi de gozaimasuka?"

Marvolo ordered for them, but the only word he understood was Kobe, the name of the beef."You know him?" Harry asked as the man walked away.

"Tom Riddle knows him… I normally don't come here looking like I do now."

"What'd you say?"

"Just our orders and good evening. I bet he was surprised when I called him by his name though…"

They spent the next minutes looking out of the window or at each other, both basking in the atmosphere. The silence was broken when dinner was served, by the same guy as before.

"Arigatou gozaimasu." Marvolo calmly said, and Harry picked up the chopsticks, wondering how the hell he was going to eat with them. After a few tries, he put them down on his plate, and listened to the others.

"Shitte imasu ka?" the guy, Akaisan or something, said.

"Hai," Marvolo answered.

"Dochira kara?"

"Kochira de." He answered, a small smirk settling on his lips.

The man frowned and left again as someone called him. Marvolo looked at Harry's plate. "You shouldn't leave your chopsticks in your food."

"Why not?"

"Etiquette. "

"I can't eat with these."

His lover took them and transfigured them in a knife and fork. "Better?"

"Much."

"Ittadakimasu."

"No way in hell am I even going to **try** to repeat that." Harry laughed. "How many languages do you know?"

"Nine."

"Wow." The teen said, taken aback. "That's an amazing accomplishment."

Marvolo shrugged. "I had a lot of time. I learnt most of the languages that I know because I was staying in foreign countries while hunting down rare magic. It's handy if you can actually understand the people around you."

"You studied here as well?"

"For a while. They combined Muggle martial arts with magic here, inventing a completely original way to duel. Maho-shu."

"Maho-shu?"

"Magic hand. It's a pun on karate, which is written with the characters for **empty** and **hand**."

Engrossed, Harry listened to Marvolo's stories about his younger years, amazed by how driven one could be to learn every branch of magic he came across, and vowed to himself to study harder himself. Too soon, their plates were empty, and they paid the bill. This time it was a woman who came to them –maybe Akaisan had become too freaked out?-

"Shefu ni oishikatta to tsutaete kudasai." Marvolo said. The woman smiled and bowed while they walked out of the restaurant. "So, Harry, do you want to look around here or go home already?"

"What time is it at home?"

"Around nine."

"I wanted to take a bath and read a bit more before going to sleep, so could we go home?"

"Of course. "

Taking hold of Marvolo's arm, Harry brazed himself for the feeling of being whisked away by the portkey. A few horrible moments later, his feet hit the ground of their bedroom.

"I hate this," he grumbled, and Marvolo snorted. "Come." Harry said, and grabbed the man's arm."

"Where to?"

"I told you I was going to take a bath, didn't I?" Harry smirked, and dragged his lover with him to the bathroom. "I still need to get my remembrance of you."

* * *

He had a bad feeling about it all. A very bad feeling. The boy didn't seem to notice the dread that filled him and his reluctance to keep walking towards the enemy's lair, but well, what had he expected? Everyone agreed that Potter was nutters. Nutters, and in a position that gave him way more power than he could handle. Still, he was glad that the teen was on their side now, for he was the Light's only hope.

"Lucius?" a cool voice spoke, and the man's gaze locked with harsh green eyes as Potter turned to face him.

He involuntarily took a step backwards, taken aback by the icy look. Now he thought about it, he had seen it before, when he had been informed of his task of bringing the boy back to the Order. He had thought it to be a trick of the light then, but now, he couldn't deny that something about Potter was off. What had happened?

"Yes?" he said, not knowing how to address the teen.

He had opted for his surname, but now he was faced with that penetrating stare, he didn't think that was a good idea. However, he would never sink so low as to regard the other as his better, lover of the Dark Lord or not.

"Be nice to them. You must under no circumstance let them show you are sympathetic to the Dark Side."

Lucius seethed inwardly. How dare that boy assume he would do this anything but perfect! Stiffly, the man nodded, and Potter turned around again. A few minutes later, they stopped on a square in front of a row of old, small, dirty looking Muggle houses and Potter looked at a piece of parchment before handing it to Lucius. There was nothing on it except for two words and a number, the address of one of the houses in front of them, in the unmistakable handwriting of Albus Dumbledore. Lucius looked up to the buildings, watching calmly as they began to move until another one had squeezed its way in between the others. Potter took a step forward and rang the bell.

XXx

A few seconds later, the door slammed open and an agitating Mrs Weasley appeared. "How many times do I have to say it! Don't ring the… **Harry**!"

"Hello Mrs Weasley," he said, and hesitantly accepted a smothering hug.

It wasn't that he wasn't glad to see her, and he knew that before, he'd probably have smiled widely, but he just couldn't bring himself to be exuberant. For one, he was grumpy about the fact that he would actually need to return to the Wizarding world, where all the responsibilities were waiting for him –not that he would act on them, but still, he had to pretend-, and secondly, he wouldn't see Marvolo for the next few days.

"Oh, we've all been so worried! Before we received your letter, Dumbledore was going rampage. The whole Order was, truth be told. The headmaster said you'd been kidnapped by **him**! I'm so glad you're okay! And my, Mr Malfoy, it appears we have judged you wrongly. To save him and then bring our dear Harry back here…"

"Yeah, if it wasn't for Lucius, I would probably be sitting in dungeons, chained to a wall."

_Wall, bed, what's the difference? _Lucius thought, but didn't think it was wise to voice it within the teen's hearing range. The man smiled and reached his hand out, secretly wiping it off on his robes after Mrs Weasley had shaken it thoroughly.

"Can we come in?" Harry asked with a radiant smile. "Then we might speak further somewhere more comfortable."

"Naturally!" she exclaimed as they crossed the threshold, peering past her into the dark, dirty corridor.

Mrs Weasley motioned for them to be silent, and Harry raised an eyebrow at some of the stuff in the house, which was undeniably Dark. The woman opened a door and let them through, before drawing the attention of the other occupants to them when saying:

"Look who's come back!"

Harry snickered at the gob smacked expressions of the others. "Hey," he said.

"Hey? **Hey**?" Hermione shouted, and flew in his arms, hugging him tightly with a disbelieving laugh, which caused Ron to scowl a bit. "That's the only thing you can say? Two weeks of vague letters and… being god-knows-where, and you say **hey**? Ron, you say something about it!"

"Well…" the redhead said with his mouth half-stuffed with a muffin. "I **waf **gonna say 'ey mathe af well, buth feeing your reacthion…"

"Ronald! Don't speak with your mouth full!" his mother said, her hands planted firmly in her sides.

"Yeah, one of the twins said. "Do us all a favour-"  
"—stuff you mouth-" the other continued  
"And don't speak at all!"

"'Ey! Fath'f noth nife!" the boy exclaimed, sending crumbs flying through the room before swallowing his food down. "So, Harry. Good you're back, but… couldn't you just have told us you were at Malfoy's house?"

"The letter could have been intercepted. It was less likely now, now Voldemort gave up his search of finding a traitor among his followers."

"We understand…" Hermione said with another hug.

"Have you eaten already?" Mrs Weasley asked, and Harry nodded.

He hadn't really, but he wasn't hungry at all and just wanted to be left alone for a while. "I'm kind of tired. Is it okay if we speak tomorrow again?"

"Of course, of course! No problem at all. Ron and Hermione put all of your things in Ron's bedroom while you were gone… It's upstairs, second door on the left"

"Thanks." He said, and gave them a genuine smile before sprinting upwards.

He lay down on the creaking bed, and couldn't help but compare it to the bed he'd slept on for two weeks… He'd become used to 'the good life' way too fast. He got up again, undressed, and contemplated about whether or not he'd wear pajamas. He'd found it more comfortable to sleep without, but well, even though he knew Ron was straight and wouldn't bat an eye, Harry really didn't want anyone but his lover to see his body. Thus, he compromised, and pulled on some grey cotton pants before crawling under the blankets.

XXx

With a worried look, Lord Voldemort stared out of the window, in the direction where he knew London was. He wished he wouldn't have had to let Harry go, but he remained realistic. The teen needed more education, education that** he** couldn't give him right now… Maybe after… after it was all over. He glanced at his desk, where all his plans lay. He wondered if he was being selfish… he could probably act sooner than he had planned now, and probably save a couple of lives of his followers in the process… Yes, he **was **being selfish, he knew, but he also decided that he didn't care enough to change that. He needed to have Dumbledore's memories first, then search what he knew and what not, take precautions, obtain the diadem and kill Dumbledore, before the actual war could start. Half a year? A few months? Mere weeks perhaps? And then… hell would break loose.

It helped that he could enter Hogwarts himself now, so there were things he didn't need to bother Harry with. He turned his head again to stare into the falling night, hoping everything was well. He chuckled darkly. Of course everything was well. He might have needed to be worried before, but now, with Harry's personality change, the teen would be able to face every hardship that would cross his way. Marvolo grew somber. If only those hardships didn't** have** to cross his path… but his lover always seemed to attract dangerous situations.

He shook his head to clear it, wondering when he had grown this soft. It had been impossible for him to even feel compassion before… He frowned. Maybe it had to do with the resurrection ritual? He had started feeling this strange since then. It would make sense. His old body had suffered the consequences of not only the soul-splitting process, but also of the dark magic it had used so long. His new body didn't have those effects yet, though it suffered from having only one piece of soul in it, and adjusted its shape to that. Was it because this body was used to having only a sliver of soul, that the other effects were less? He hadn't noticed any changes since he had gained it, even though he had used severe dark magic. He should probably see into it. Tomorrow, maybe. Right now, his mind wasn't up to anything but worrying for Harry. He sighed again, and decided he could better try and get some good night's rest. Harry hadn't let him sleep very much the last few days. –not that he minded that so much.- Yes, sleep sounded nice…

* * *

"Harry? Breakfast is ready!" he heard, and groaned while blinking against the light.

"What?"

"Breakfast."

"Oh, ok… I'll come." He said, and yawned.

He hadn't been able to sleep well, missing the feeling of strong, cold arms around him and a heartbeat underneath his ear. He shuddered. It had felt too much like the nights at the Dursley's, and only Ron's snoring had convinced him that he was in a safe environment, instead of at the home of his relatives. Oh, he would make them pay for what they had done to him… A dark smile played on his face as he envisioned the torture he would put them through, and wondered why he had been so averse to it before. For their neglect, abuse and starvation, they didn't deserve anything but death and pain. He got out of bed, and his gaze fell on his trunk. He hadn't checked it yet, so he opened it, rummaging through clothes, books and magical trinkets until his hand reached the bottom, where his cloak and map were hidden. He sighed in relief when seeing his treasured items, and a thrill went through him as he stroked the fabric of the invisibility cloak, knowing now that he was touching a legendary item.

He closed the trunk again, dressed and went downstairs. He heard voices from the dinner room, and wondered how many members of the Order would be here. He'd only seen the Weasleys, but he knew Sirius should be here as well. He didn't really know the rest of the members well, having seen them only twice. Interested, he studied a couple of house-elf heads that hung on the wall and a black curtain underneath the stairs, not knowing if he wanted to peek behind it or not. He decided it was too risky, and headed in the direction of Ron's voice. It was strange how well he was able to blend in again, and couldn't help but feel a sting of guilt towards Marvolo. They were, after all, his enemies. Harry froze in the middle of a step. They were** his** enemies as well. He stared blankly at the wall. It had seemed all so nice here, but he would have to face the consequences of his actions. He was on the side of the Dark now, and while he would try to maintain the relationship with his friends, he would need to be able to sacrifice those bonds if Ron, or Hermione, or anyone else would not accept his choices. He'd better not become too attached to them again until he was sure how they would react.

He opened the door, seeing that there were some other people as well. There was Tonks, whom he had talked with once before, when Dumbledore had introduced him to the Order shortly after the Tournament; a large man of which he was sure that he was an Auror, but couldn't quite recall the name from anymore; a person with a lousy and filthy atmosphere; a stern-looking witch who vaguely reminded him of McGonagall and then there was… Snape. Harry smirked. This was going to be fun.

"Good morning." He said, and the man whipped around, his pose faltering a bit when his eyes met Harry's. They hadn't exactly parted on good terms last time, what with Harry commanding Snape and all…

"Harry! So you** are **back!" Tonks said, smiling widely. "Come on, sit and tell me your adventures!"

"I wouldn't really call it** adventures**. I've spent some weeks at Malfoy manor, hidden from the world…"

"Why?"

"Uh, Lucius actually had to kidnap me for Voldemort. However, when he had me, I talked in on him. I believe the message got through, for he decided it would be better for him if he would just pretend I had escaped to somewhere. However, he couldn't let me go either, for then Voldemort might be alerted to the fact that Lucius had lied to him. I couldn't tell anyone where I was either. Really, it wasn't that exciting… What have you all been up to? I don't have the Prophet at home and Lucius refused to tell me what was going on."

"He refused to tell you?"

"He still has his position in Voldemort's ranks. The more he spoke with me, the larger the chance that the Dark Lord would discover one of his memories of me."

"Makes sense. The Order has been trying to gain members of course, but we've also been looking out for Death Eater attacks to prevent them. The Minister refuses to acknowledge that he's back. Honestly, if You-Know-Who would ever throw a killing curse at him, he'd probably claim he'd been having a spontaneous heart attack instead of admitting that he was hit by that curse." She said, and Harry grinned. "We've also confronted Fudge about the breakout of Azkaban."

"The **what**?" Harry exclaimed, trying to sound shocked.

"Oh, of course, you haven't heard about it yet… It was just a few weeks after You-Know-Who was resurrected. He freed most of his followers that were locked up after the first war, and probably convinced a lot of other prisoners to follow him as well. Fudge covered it up. He's turning a blind eye to this as well, and refuses to admit that it could be You-Know-Who's doing. Meanwhile, that monster's forces are growing, and no-one but us are prepared to do anything about it… Even after we confronted him about it, he did not let it leak out to the public." she sighed sadly. "I can't reveal much of the other plans, for most of them are top secret, and you'd actually need to be in the Order to know them…"

"Can't I?" he said with a hopeful voice. "I mean, I'd love to fight! I **need** to fight." He said. It was the perfect opportunity to gain information about the plans of the Order.

"I'm sorry Harry, that's not up to me. Even so, I don't think you can. Not until you're of age, and we hope to have won this war before that."

He tried not to show his disappointment, and instead focused on something else. "Where's Lucius by the way?"

Tonks looked up with surprise. "Malfoy? He went home after dinner. I mean, he has a house, a family and a job does he not? Molly let him out I believe. Wasn't he just here to drop you off?"

_That bastard _Harry thought, fury beginning to form in his veins. "Ah yes, thanks. I just hoped I could have told him goodbye." he said, and gave a thin smile.

"If it helps, he wasn't planning to. He wanted to stay, but Molly was horrified by the thought that he couldn't spend his last days with his family, so she scolded him about it."

Oh. That made more sense. "It's fine. So, I wanted to go to Diagon alley actually. I haven't been able to go yet, and it would have been suspicious if Lucius had bought all that for both Draco** and** me."

"Sure. I think you'll have to be escorted though, sorry."

Inwardly, Harry was very displeased, but he tried not to show it. How dare they treat him like a little child! Escorts? Oh, so** now** Dumbledore was worried about his safety, huh? And what about in the Chamber of Secrets? The Tournament? Where was the help** then**? But no, after defeating deadly monsters and dodging lethal curses, **surely **he couldn't go to Diagon alley on his own to buy school supplies. Laughable, all of it. He breathed in very deeply a few times to calm himself down. He was being unreasonable and he knew it. They thought he'd just barely escaped a kidnapping of his supposed nemesis. Naturally they would be on their 'protection mode' for a while. He just hoped he would survive the coddling.

* * *

Read and Review!

xx GeMerope


	13. Part I Chapter XIII

Sunken in thoughts, Harry lay on the creaky bed. It was nearly evening, and he was mulling over some conversations he had had. The one with Sirius was the most prominent on his mind, as it had been painful to act normal around the man, while knowing they were in fact enemies now, and that that would never be able to change. As his godfather had hugged him and babbled to him with excitement, Harry had constantly seen the betrayed, disbelieving expression he had worn when Harry had tried to explain why he had gone to Voldemort.

He sat up, got off the bed and walked to the small desk in the room, where an open book lay. It was spelled so that no-one else but him could read it, so it wasn't a problem to just let it lay there. He was rather grateful to Hermione that she had taught him that spell to make it seem that it was just a blank book, because if he would stuff it away constantly, he was sure that Ron would get suspicious. The idea had entered his mind on the first evening he had been here. He'd asked Marvolo once about why he had kept a diary, and he thought the answer: "Because it keeps my memories clear" something to think about, if not a bit funny because of the resemblance of what Dumbledore had said about his Pensieve the previous school year. He took a quill and dipped it in the ink before placing it on the paper.

_August 31st  
Tomorrow I'll finally go back to school. While it has been great to see my friends again, I am constantly and painfully reminded that I am, in fact, betraying them every moment I even do so much as think about the plans that the Dark has for this world, and how the world would be better off with it. Of course, I know that half of the people here have no idea what the Dark really wants, because they just swallow everything that Dumbledore tells them, but still. I know that Moody for example, would never agree with my changing sides. I hope my guilt will ease when I am at Hogwarts. Granted, Ron and Hermione and a lot of Gryffindors will be there, but at least I won't have the Order to worry about. I've wished a lot of times that Marvolo wouldn't have restored my feeling of guilt after that Cruciatus curse._

_So, I packed today. I was slightly miffed when finding out that they wouldn't let me go to Diagon alley by myself, but I also understand why. They can't risk another 'kidnapping'… Sigh, why did I ever come up with that story anyway? But at least now they won't question me when I'll spend some time with Draco. Ron isn't happy about me and Draco being on a friendly basis now. -Neither am I, but it wouldn't be beneficial if they knew that.- I just hope that Malfoy will be mature about this and keep himself to the truce. Thank Merlin though that our ceasefire only includes not actively trying to ruin each other's lives at school. Epicaricacy is absolutely fine, as well as using each other, something I plan to fully exploit._

Harry heard someone come up the stairs and stared at the door, listening intently, but relaxed when hearing it was Molly, shouting something at Ginny.

_I wonder what coming year has in store for me. If everything goes according to plan, the Dark may well have the world coming summer, if not sooner. Hmm, why do I get the sudden urge to write 'All hail Lord Voldemort' here? Meh, I bet the bastard would like that… Note to self: do not ever let Marvolo read this diary._

* * *

He was both incredulously bored and anxious at the same time. Ron and Hermione had a meeting with the Prefects. He was glad that Dumbledore hadn't given him that position. While it may have come in handy because he would have more access to the castle at night, it would have been another responsibility to bear, and he had enough of those right now. On the other hand was Harry glad that Malfoy **had** been promoted to Prefect as well as Ron and Hermione. Malfoy and he could now probably meet during his shifts, and he knew that at least Ron wouldn't care whether or not he sneaked through the castle at night. He couldn't wait till he got to Hogwarts. Last days had seemed like an eternity. How he had ever survived without Marvolo was beyond him… Oh wait, the man was out to kill him back then. Well, damn. Harry was pondering on the thought of what would have happened if he had accepted Marvolo's invitation to the Dark side in his first year when the door slid open.

"Hey Harry." A floaty voice said.

"Luna, good to see you! Have you had a nice holiday?"

"Yeah. Can I sit here? Everywhere else is full."

"Sure, no problem. What have you done this summer?"

"Dad and I went away on safari… We tried to track down some croaking Tyra's, but instead found the horn of a crumple-horned snorkack! Dad was really happy and published an article about them. You want to see?"

She held out a magazine and Harry took it with interest. "Oh Luna… about this, I wanted to show you something…" he smiled, and opened his trunk, searching for the notes he had hidden under his clothes. He figured that it was now or never. At school, his other friends would constantly be around and would probably ask nosy questions. The only one who really liked Luna besides him were Ginny , Neville and Ron, the latter only because he thought her hilarious most of the time. He'd met the girl in the forest when taking a walk last year. He had been trying to find a solution for the screeching egg during the Triwizard tournament, and while he hadn't found one, he **had** found a friend. "Here you go. It's from a… friend of mine. He researched a lot of creatures and I noticed that there are some on it you often talk about. I don't know if you have use for it?"

She took it and her eyes grew wide, which made her look even more comical than normally, but at the same time, the glint in her eyes showed that she was more clear than ever. "This is invaluable! I know of no-one who ever did research on this so thoroughly, with the exception of my papa. Imagine, some people don't even think these animals exist!" In fact, Harry could imagine that very well, but he decided it would be rude to point that out. "Would your friend mind if I showed these to my dad?"

Harry hesitated on that. Now he thought of it, he had never even asked permission to show them to Luna, let alone someone else. "I'd have to ask him." He answered with uncertainty. He was a bit uncomfortable about it all. After all, even if his lover ever wanted to publish this, it was highly unlikely that he would want to have it printed in the Quibbler of all magazines. It didn't have a good reputation and most people wouldn't take the article serious. On the other hand, if it came out that it was research of the **Dark Lord**, it would raise the popularity of the magazine immensely. "I promise. I'll ask him as soon as possible." He said, a bit more confident now. It couldn't hurt to try, after all. "Luna… would you please keep this silent? And if someone finds it, will you not tell me where you got it? There are a lot of people who will question the contents and well, they'll want to know where exactly **I** got it. I'd rather not say. Not now, not yet. "

"Sure." She said, "No problem." And she went on reading Marvolo's research. Harry blinked, surprised and pleased by her reaction. He'd already thought that she wouldn't be suspicious about it, but he hadn't believed that she would accept his explanation that easily.

When the door opened again and Hermione and Ron stumbled in, laughing, Luna sneakily put the parchment in between the pages of her Quibbler, and gave Harry a conspiratorial smile.

"Hey mate!" Ron grinned. "Listen, I've** got** to tell you something funny. You know Malfoy and Parkinson became the Slytherin Prefects right?"

"Yes, and?" he asked, interested.

"Well, Parkinson didn't stop going on and on about how it was fate that she and 'Drakey'-" Harry couldn't contain a snort at the nickname "Yeah, exactly. Anyway, she said this was a 'sign that they were meant to be together'. Guess what Malfoy did?"

"Snogged her to shut her up?" Harry said with amusement.

"Nope, snogged someone** else** to shut her up." Harry leaned forward. Draco had a lover? This was interesting information. "Yeah, so Parkinson burst out crying and ran off."

"Did she now? I was under the impression that she would hex the 'bitch who dared to harass her Drakey'"

"Well yeah, but I think she was more devastated about the fact that he kissed a guy than that he kissed someone at all." Hermione said a tad too cheerful.

Harry merely nodded thoughtfully. He'd kind of expected Malfoy to be gay, honestly. The way he was obsessed with clothes and his hair… He mulled over that… was he himself that obsessed with such things? He didn't think so. He knew Marvolo was though, even if he didn't often show it. He thought it funny, really, how long the man stood in front of his wardrobe, wondering what to wear. Honestly, there wasn't that much difference between 'blue that is almost black' and 'green that is almost black', was there?

"Who?"

"Blaise Zabini." Hermione said, giggling. "He didn't seem to mind…" she added with a smirk, and Harry raised an eyebrow at her. He hadn't expected her to be all fangirlish about two guys snogging. It looked like there was more to Hermione than the shy, studious girl he knew. Or… actually she **had** shown that last year, with her revenge on Ron with Krum… He was almost sure that Ron was still trying to deny that they'd ever kissed.

"Ew, Hermione, you're acting like it's normal." Ron snorted

"Why wouldn't it be?" Harry said with surprise.

"Uhm, they're guys?" Ron said, as if that explained everything.

"So?"

"**So**, something is obviously wrong with them!"

"Ron, one-tenth of the human population is gay." Hermione stated matter of factly.

Ron snorted at that. "Yeah, right. So if you'd take the five guys and five girls of our year in Gryffindor, there should be someone who's gay?"

Hermione frowned thoughtfully at that, while Harry smirked. "There is, actually."

"Who?" they both asked, Ron with a disgusted undertone.

"Me." He said airily. "So, Luna, do you have another one of those Quibblers?"

While Hermione said something to him along the lines of 'Really? I didn´t know that,' and Luna reached out to hand him a magazine, Ron created a deafening silence all on his own.

"Nice joke mate." He finally grinned, though his smile vanished when Harry stared coolly at him and raised an eyebrow. "S… since when?"

"Since birth I think."

"No, I mean, since when do you know?"

"Around last year…"

"B… but… **Cho**! What about Cho? You liked her, right? I mean, soft boobs and all that!"

"Really Ron? **That's** what you come up with?" Hermione said with disapproval, and a slight scrunching of her nose. "Please tell me that's not all **you** see in girls…"

Ron didn't react in favor of staring challenging at Harry, who returned it with a flat gaze. "Yes, I liked Cho, no, I'm not going to deny it, but I wasn't attracted to her physically. It was just… you know, everyone expecting me to hook up with some nice girl. She could be quite humorous, and I liked that in her. But other than that… no. I never longed to hold or kiss her or anything."

"Oh." Ron said, slightly disconcerted, and he sat down. "So you like men?"

"Yes."

"Do you… do you have a boyfriend?"

"Yes. And no, I will not give you more information than that."

"What?" Hermione said. "Why not?"

"Just because. And don't ask, or I'll obliviate you." He warned.

Truly, he had expected that question, and had decided that it would be better to tell them now. It would certainly make it easier to meet secretly with Marvolo, Eyolf or Draco if he had an actual reason to sneak away. Plus, he didn't want to lie to them. Marvolo might have rubbed off on him with that, fierce opponent of untruth as he was. Hermione huffed and Harry suddenly saw the image of Hedwig in his mind, who always ruffled her feathers when she was irritated with him or felt offended in some way.

Ron tried to turn the conversation into a less awkward one and asked Luna: "Anything good in there?" while pointing at the Quibbler.

"Of course not." Hermione said scathingly. "The Quibbler's rubbish, everyone knows** that**."

"Excuse me." Luna said coldly and a lot less dreamy than she usually was, glaring at Hermione from over her magazine. "My father's the editor."

"I… oh. Well… it got some interesting… I mean it's quite…" she trailed off, looking embarrassed. Luna huffed and went on reading, disappearing behind it.

Harry looked up as the compartment door slid open for a third time and had a hard time hiding a smirk. He hadn't really expected Malfoy to search him out now, but apparently, some things would never change.

"Potter… losers…" he said haughtily, nodding first to Harry and then the rest.

"Bigger loser…" Hermione said with a bored, superior voice, and both Harry and Ron bit their lips to not burst out sniggering when seeing the look on Malfoy's face.

Harry could see that Malfoy was trying very hard not to cross a line and break their truce right now. "I wanted to inform you, Potter, that should you ever come to your senses, I am willing to give you another chance to stick with the people who** really** matter instead of those fools."

"Why would he, Malfoy?" Hermione said.

"Quiet mudblood, or is he incapable of thinking for himself?"

"What brought this up?" Harry answered softly, his eyes narrowing at the hidden insult.

"For some reason, father likes you, and with the return of the Dark Lord and father's treachery, I'd better be friendly to you too. Don't get me wrong, I don't like you in any way, and personally, I would rather follow the Dark, but I'll stick with my family in this."

"So you** do** have a heart." Ron snorted. "How's your** boyfriend** anyway?" he said maliciously.

"He's fine Weasel. Why the sudden interest for my love life? I didn't think **you'd** be interested in me…"

Ron choked on a chocolate frog and glared at Malfoy. "As if!" he said with disgust, and Malfoy turned away.

"I didn't even know you had one. I heard it was quite a shock for Pansy." Harry smirked.

"She had it coming." Malfoy shrugged. "I told her 'no' for years. She just didn't want to believe that any guy would ever refuse her. Blaise and I got together last year and we decided that it was serious enough now to show… How is** your** boyfriend?" he said, a sly smile on his lips. Harry reddened and shot him a dirty look. "What? You didn't tell them…?"

"I did, actually." He snapped, and Malfoy looked up in surprise.

"So they know—" he broke off abruptly when seeing a very icy, dangerous glare.

_Good. He should learn that he cannot mess with me any longer._

"Of course, it's none of my business…" Malfoy muttered and he glanced at the pile of chocolate frogs, snatched one of the pile with a haughty 'dare to say anything' glance at Ron, unwrapped it and calmly ate the chocolate.

Then he spluttered and his eyes grew wide. For a moment, Harry didn't know what had caused him such distress and Hermione tried to calm Malfoy down –by slapping him in the face and shouting that he should get a grip on himself.- Only then was the source of his panic revealed. Horrified, Ron took the card that went with the frog.

"They added a new category…" he said with a fearful voice, and Harry took the offered card, shocked when staring into Marvolo's eyes.

"Category, Dark Wizards. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, most fearsome Dark Lord known in history… It doesn't say anything else. Where do you reckon they got his picture?" he asked.

"Maybe the previous war? I didn't know he looked like… like **this** though." Hermione said.

"It probably was during the first war… And yes, he does look like this. Hasn't changed a bit actually." He said, having a hard time to keep the dreamy smile from his face while he turned the card in his hands as Marvolo looked at him arrogantly.

"You would know." Ron muttered, eyeing the picture with wariness.

"You want it?" Harry said without thinking, offering it to Ron.

"I don't want a monster in my collection!" Ron scoffed.

Harry had to restrain himself from jumping into defense-mode. Instead he pocketed the card. At least he had something to remember his lover by whenever Marvolo wasn't at Hogwarts.

"So, Potter, you still haven't said anything about my offer…"

Harry thought about it. Seriously, he didn't** want** to, especially because Malfoy insulted his friends. On the other hand, he had priorities, and Malfoy was a useful asset. To reject him now would be a blow to the both of them. On the other hand, he** hated** Malfoy, and absolutely didn't want his friends to get the illusion that they were thrown away for **Malfoy** of all people. Then, he smiled.

"I owe it to your father that I'm at least civil to you, and if I can help him by befriending you, then I'll do it. He saved my life. I will not, though, replace my **friends** by** you**. If you ever need something though, feel free to ask."

Malfoy bit his lip, and then smirked, holding out his hand. "Deal Potter."

"Harry." He corrected. It would be easier to accept each other if they would be on first name bases.

"Draco then." Malfoy agreed, and they shook hands.

"Bloody hell Harry, what** has** gotten into you?" Ron asked when Draco was gone. Harry just shrugged and hid a secret smile. This would be interesting.

* * *

At last, the train began to slow down and they gathered their luggage. Ron and Hermione went off, absorbed by the crowd, seeing as they were supposed to supervise all this. Harry and Luna walked to the carriages. Surprised, Harry looked up when hearing a brisk female voice:

"First-years line up here! All first-years to me!"

Harry looked up and saw professor Grubby-Plank with a swinging lantern coming their way, the professor who had taken over a few Care of Magical Creatures lessons for a while during the previous year. -And Harry didn't want to talk bad about Hagrid, but really, it had been the best lessons they had received on the subject. With Hagrid, it was mostly Defense against Magical Creatures, what with all the dangerous animals Hagrid tried to introduce.-

"Where's Hagrid?" Harry mumbled to himself, but no-one answered. Luna was walking away already and Harry had to hurry to catch up with her as she walked to the place where the stagecoaches were. When they arrived, Harry did a double-take. The coaches were no longer horseless. Instead, dragon-like horses with a skin that glowed magnificently in the scarce light were waiting patiently in front of them. He got closer and stopped in front of one of them, hesitantly reaching out his hand to touch the flank of the horse. The animal moved a bit and shook his mane, and Harry's eyes trailed over the large, leathery wings. It looked like their skin was stretched straight over the bones, because the ribs and spinal cord were prominent. Harry's breath caught when the animal turned its dragonish head and stared at him with a milky white eye, that, even though it was pupil-less, seemed to bore straight into his soul.

"Beautiful…" he whispered affectionately, stroking the snout, and got an approving huff.

At that moment, Luna went up to him.

"What do you reckon it is?" Harry asked. If anyone would know, it would be her.

"A Thestral. They've pulled the carriages for as long as I can remember. Normally, they live in the forest."

"How come I've never seen them?" Harry frowned. An Animal like this would surely have captured his attention, like now.

"You can only see them once you've seen death."

"Cedric…" Harry mumbled to himself. "Wait a minute, how come I never saw them before then? I've seen my mother die! I can still remember it every time a Dementor come near…

Luna shrugged. "At that moment, you were too small to understand that she was dying. Magic works strange in such ways."

"Oh. I see…."

"Shall we get in? The others are already waiting."

Harry looked up and saw that Ron and Hermione had returned and were bickering.

_Oh joy, I hope they won't act like last year._

After a rather uneventful drive to the castle, the carriages came to a halt in front of the stone steps leading up to the large, oak front doors. He glanced over his shoulders and narrowed his eyes against the dark to see if he saw any sign of life in Hagrid's hut, but the windows were black as the night, and no smoke drifted from the chimney. He got out of the stagecoach and stroked the Thestral once more before catching up with his friends.

As they walked to the Great Hall, he saw people throwing suspicious glances at him and heard them whispering his name. He wondered what that was all about and glared at the other students, but it only made the whispers more prominent. He glanced up to the starless ceiling that reflected the sky outside. Again, he heard and saw others whispering and pointing at him and he acted as if he neither noticed nor cared.

"He's not here." Ron said next to him, and for a moment, Harry didn't know who he was talking about, until his gaze drifted to the head table.

"Oh. Hagrid… No, I wonder where he is."

"Maybe he's not back yet. Y'know, from his mission…"

"What mission?" Harry asked sharply.

"Oh, you don't know of course… We forgot to tell you, I'm sorry." Hermione said. "I'll explain later… Who's that?"

Harry followed her look and saw a tiny woman in pink, with a face like a toad. "No idea. Somehow, I get the feeling that I'm not going to like her very much."

"Shh… the sorting is about to begin!" Hermione said with excitement, and Harry saw the small, frightened first years shuffling inside. One boy in the middle looked as if he could faint any moment now.

The sorting hat opened his mouth and sang a whole different song than last years. He still described the houses and the origin of Hogwarts, but Harry could hear the message underneath it all clearly. A warning that, should they not stick together, they would all fall apart. And somehow, Harry didn't think he was talking about the return of the Dark Lord. Just as he thought of the man, he felt a strange feeling, like a sneeze that didn't want to get out yet. It was a most uncomfortable, nagging feeling, and he anxiously looked around to see where it came from. He didn't notice red, gleaming eyes that stared at him out of the darkness in the top of the great Hall. He** did** notice someone else in the shadows, and gave Eyolf a slight nod. He couldn't see the man's reaction, for his grey hood had been pulled over his face, and he stood half-hidden behind a pillar.

Harry directed his attention to the sorting, clapping whenever someone walked to the Gryffindor table. After it was done and Dumbledore had given a very short welcome while having his piercing stare directed at Harry for a few seconds, the food appeared, and Ron managed to piss Headless Nick off with a not-so-subtle-remark about him not being able to have noble blood because he was a ghost, and therefore had no blood. Harry rolled his eyes at the so typically** Ron** statement.

When he was stuffed full with his favorite dessert –treacle tart-, Dumbledore stood once more.

"Now we've had that wonderful meal, I believe it is time for introductions… Firstly, I want to welcome Mr Senka. Mr Filch… retired this year. I hope you will all try your best to not give him any trouble. Which mostly means staying out of trouble yourself…" he smiled at his own joke and the Weasley twins were suddenly very busy looking elsewhere. "There is a list of Forbidden objects on the message board and the Forbidden Forest is** Forbidden**. Just a reminder for both the first years and some of the older students who have the tendency to forget that… every year." This time, it were Harry, Ron and Hermione who smirked at each other. "Secondly, we've had two changes in the staff. We are very pleased to welcome back professor Grubby-Plank, who will teach Care of Magical Creatures as long as professor Hagrid is absent. Then, we are also delighted to welcome professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Then, try-outs for the new Quidditch teams will be-"

He was interrupted by the Umbridge woman, who got to her feet. –something she could better not have done. She was even smaller like this.- "Hem Hem…" she coughed, clearing her throat, and whispers broke loose. It was absolutely unheard of to interrupt Dumbledore during his speech. The headmaster just blinked surprised, but sat down after that, looking as if he was hugely interested in what she had to say. Normally, Harry would have tuned out such a speech, but somehow, Dumbledore's behavior made him want to hear what she had to say. When she began to speak, the same wave of unexplainable disgust went through him as when he had just seen her. "Thank you for your kind words of welcome. It is lovely to be back at Hogwarts again, I must say… And to see such happy little faces smiling up to me…"

Harry didn't look around, but he was sure the only faces that would be staring at her after that statement were gobsmacked ones, taken aback that they were spoken to like four-year olds. She rambled on about wanting to be good friends with everyone and such nonsense. –some students grinned at each other at that and made scoffing comments. Then, her tone changed so much that it sent shivers up to Harry's spine. She held a rather lengthy speech, which would have sounded like utter crap to Harry, had he not spent so much time in Marvolo's company.

"That explained a lot…" Harry softly said, and Hermione looked at him with surprise, while Ron gave him a dull look.

"It was certainly illuminating…" Hermione agreed.

"You mean you liked it? That was about the dullest speech I ever heard, and** I** grew up with Percy!" Ron said.

'I said illuminating, not enjoyable!"Hermione remarked.

"What's the difference?" Ron said, genuinely looking surprised.

"Did you** ever** even look at the** cover** of a dictionary?" Hermione huffed. "Harry, what is your opinion on this?"

"The Ministry is going to interfere at Hogwarts. Drastic changes, if I heard it right."

"Indeed. I wonder what sort of Defense lessons those are going to be."

"I don't think we only have to worry about the Defense lessons..." Hermione said with worry in her eyes, and Harry found himself agreeing.

_At least I don't have a madman out for my life anymore. That should ease things up a bit... I can't wait to see Marvolo again._

In the rafters of the hall, the red eyes disappeared with a swish of a cloak.

* * *

Read and Review!

xx GeMerope


	14. Part I Chapter XIV

Tired, Harry climbed through the entrance of the common room with the help of Neville. Thanks to his cactus-like plant he could finally remember the password for once… Harry hoped it wouldn't change for a long time. He didn't feel like talking to anyone and headed straight to the dormitories. Once there, he greeted Dean and Seamus.

"Hey Harry… had a nice holiday?"

"Oh, uh, not really." He admitted. "Had to hide a lot. I don't know if I'm allowed to tell you guys, but I was kidnapped. Don't really know why, but Dumbledore wanted to keep that silent. It all worked out fine though."

"Oh Potter, could you please** stop** spouting nonsense?" Seamus said angrily, and Harry looked up.

"I'm sorry?"

"All this You-Know-Who's back crap. You don't really think it's believable, right?"

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"I call you an attention seeking git. First adding your name to the cup and then trying to get out of punishment by making up such a story? Do you know that because of you, my mom almost didn't let me come back to school? I can't believe that Dumbledore believes you!"

"Seamus!" Dean said, and the boy huffed and angrily turned around to ignore Harry. "Don't pay him any attention Harry… What… what **did** happen actually? That night, at the graveyard… Dumbledore was a bit vague…"

Harry sat down on his bed, wondering what he should say. It was annoying that he had to go against the plans of the Dark to ensure he was believable. Marvolo didn't want the world to know that he was back yet until he had infiltrated everything, to bring it all down at once, but he couldn't just state something completely different than at the end of last school year. Besides, as Marvolo had pointed out more than once, he sucked at lying.

"Voldemort was reborn." He said, trying his best to sound solemn. "He held some sort of ritual to gain a body again. He never truly died when he was defeated, so he… he came back."

"Then why haven't we heard anything from him yet?"Seamus scoffed. "No fights, no breakouts, no raids, no followers of him marching the streets."

"I don't know, okay?"

"I thought you had some weird mind link with him. Or were your fainting sessions acts as well?"

"Shut** up** Seamus." Another voice said, and and Harry saw Ron enter the room, the tips of his ear red with anger.

"What, you don't say that** you** believe his nonsense about You-Know-Who, right?"

"Why yes, yes I do."

"Nuts, all of you." Seamus grumbled, and got in bed.

"I'm **not** a liar!" Harry said, becoming angry.

"Sure you aren't."

Knowing he wouldn't be able to convince Seamus anyway, he pressed his lips tightly together, suppressing the urge to practice the Unforgivables on the stubborn guy. He voiced his thanks for support to Ron, who gave him a smile and a half-shrug. When they were finally all in bed and the lights went out, he couldn't sleep. He wasn't able to shake off the feeling of someone watching him. Finally, when he was sure the others were fast asleep, he silently got up and searched his trunk for his map and invisibility cloak. Harry snatched his wand, threw the cloak over his head and snuck out of the dorms and the common room, glad to see that the Fat Lady was absent.

"I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good." He whispered, and tapped the map.

He narrowed his eyes because of the darkness, trying to see the black lines on the parchment. He couldn't very well cast a Lumos here. When he wasn't successful, he entered an empty classroom to study the map more thoroughly in the light. Firstly, he checked the location of all the teachers and saw that there were few floors that were guarded. He could easily avoid them. Another dot that was stalking the castle bore the name of Arve Greyhunter, and Harry smiled wryly because of how well the name suited the man. Yet, it couldn't be him who Harry felt, because he was actually in the dungeons, doing Merlin-knows-what. The feeling of being watched increased, along with strange amusement, and Harry was sure it wasn't his. Then, the pieces fell into place and he frantically searched the map.

_Marvolo?_ He thought, but he didn't get an answer. After ten minutes of which each seemed to be made up from endless seconds, he finally found the dot he so desperately wanted to see… In the most unlikely place possible. Aghast, he exited the room and went to the fifth floor to search for the statue of Boris the Bewildered. When he finally stood in front of the fourth door on the left, he wondered what to do. Surely, the password had changed, and it was really frustrating to know that there was only one thin barrier of wood separating him from his lover. Getting an idea, he cast a brief Lumos, dimming the light with his hands and clothes so it wouldn't be too visible, and studied the map. And indeed, like with the tunnel to Honeydukes, here he also saw a mini-Harry waving with his wand. Tiny words were scribbled above mini-Harry's head.

Harry dimmed the light and, getting a wicked idea, removed all his clothes, having only the invisibility cloak around him still. He waved with his wand and whispered: "Seafoam."

The door cracked open and he slipped inside, his heart doing a double take upon seeing Marvolo, his upper body and arms stretched out over the bathroom tiles and the rest of him hidden beneath the water. His eyes were closed, and Harry wasn't sure if he knew that Harry was inside already. Silently, he put down his clothes and approached the man, kneeling behind his head. He suddenly had a flashback of the first time they had had sex, but instead of Marvolo, it was now him who hovered over his love. He let the cloak slide off, revealing his nude form. A ghost of a lazy smirk appeared on Marvolo's expression and red eyes opened slowly.

"Hello my love… missed me?"

Harry chuckled, a bit breathless. "How long did you know I was here?"

"I followed your mind. I knew whatever you were thinking from the moment you set foot in the castle."

"There goes my surprise." Harry muttered, but he shut up very quickly, for he was pulled down in an awkward, but nonetheless loving, kiss.

"Join me?" Marvolo asked in invitation, and Harry descended in the warm water, immediately and instinctively reaching out for the man's cold touch.

"I did miss you…" he mumbled, tucking his head underneath Marvolo's chin. "I don't want to leave you for this long anymore."

"You won't have to." The Dark Lord assured him, and kissed the tip of his head.

"How did you get inside this bathroom anyway?"

"I have my ways…" he said, smirking arrogantly, and Harry rolled his eyes.

"Figures." He said while sliding his hand down the white chest, coming to rest at the thigh underwater. He stroked the leg, feeling the muscles contract and relax again. Marvolo sat upright and pulled the other leg to his chest. Harry leaned against the knee, eyeing the leg.

"Pure sin." He muttered, and a deep rumble emitted from Marvolo's throat.

~I'll show you sin.~ His lover hissed, sliding his hand over Harry's arse.

"Marvolo…" he breathed.

"Yes, dearest?" the man said, his lips leaving a trail of wet kisses on Harry's shoulder, which soon turned to soft bites. Harry couldn't do anything but moan and lean in more, digging his fingers in the man's hips and pressing himself against Marvolo's front. A groaned sigh left his lips as their cocks rubbed together, both half hard already.

"This isn't exactly the most comfortable place for this…" he finally managed to say, and Marvolo frowned.

"No, indeed it isn't. Wait." He took his wand, which lay just a few inches away on the floor, within reach, and summoned some towels.

Harry backed away a bit as the man got to his feet, dry the instant he rose from the water and the teen blushed furiously when seeing Marvolo in all his naked glory… from** this** angle. A hiss escaped his lips and amused eyes watched him as he licked his lips hungrily. His gaze glided from his lover's perfect, white calves, to his straining member, the flat stomach and chest, to finally lock gazes with him. ~Definitely sin.~ He groaned, getting up himself. He actually trembled with need now. Need to touch and be touched. Marvolo caught his wrists and pulled him up before wrapping him in the black, fluffy towel. Harry's arms automatically came around the man's neck when he was picked up.

"Where are we going?" he mumbled, though he didn't really care that much, as long as he was getting to touch perfection. With tenderness, he brushed feather light strokes against the bald head, marveling over how the skin could be so soft. With wonder and curiousity, he also stroked the slits of the flat, snake-like nose gently. He didn't notice them passing through a wall, which was really a hidden door, and continued his exploration. He loved Marvolo's face. He knew that most people would find it horrifying, and somewhere, he could understand, but he just thought that he was so… so **sexy**. He pressed a light kiss to the Dark lord's nape while his hands stroked the back of the head. "I love you." He muttered, feeling a blush creep up again. "I love you so damn much…"

The man didn't answer because he was currently concentrating on walking down a staircase, but Harry felt the hold on him tighten and saw Marvolo's expression softening. Content, he rested his head against the shoulder, closing his eyes.

"Don't fall asleep on me now, hmm?" he heard a soft whisper, and he shook his head a bit. At last and with great reluctance, he was put down on a cold stone floor. He shuddered because of the chill here. He hugged Marvolo close and was awed when he found that for once, the man's body was actually warmer than the air around him. "Harry? What is wrong?" his lover asked concerned when he shuddered.

"Cold." He managed to whisper through clattering teeth, his breath visible in the air. "You don't feel it?"

"Ah, my body runs on a somewhat… different temperature. I hadn't noticed the cold, I apologise…"

Warmth flooded the air when, with a flick of the yew wand, a fire came to life in the hearth on the side of the room. Harry looked around with interest, his eyes drawn to the giant bed that dominated the space, becoming somewhat nervous. He scolded himself. It was not like they hadn't had sex before… Hell, he'd been **inside** the man's** ass**. Somehow though, he didn't think that would be happening any time soon again. Not tonight, for sure. He shrugged the towel off and, knowing that Marvolo hated it when things lay on the floor, he caught it and dropped it over a nearby chair, raising an eyebrow when a cloud of dust rose.

"_**Detergeo**_." Marvolo said, and glittering dust particles were wiped off the bed before disappearing.

A shiver wracked Harry's spine, but not from the cold this time. Not knowing what came over him, he purposefully strode to the bed and draped himself over the emerald blankets, imitating the pose he had found Marvolo in, his arms outstretched, and suggestively, he slowly pulled one of his legs closer. He saw Marvolo tremble as he watched the scene, following his foot which was now very close to his own groin. Harry licked his lips, making sure they were red and moist before curling them into a crooked smirk.

"See anything you like?" he said, his tone breathy.

"Very much." Came the hoarse answer, and lean like a cat, Marvolo climbed on the bed, leaning over Harry, his hands placed on the blankets at the sides of the other's head.

Their foreheads touched and Harry heaved his head so that their lips were almost pressed against the other's. Harry raked his nails over Marvolo's arched back, feeling the vertebrae stick out, the skin stretched tightly over the bone. Cold lips caught his bottom lip and Harry lifted himself up to feel skin sliding against skin. When his lip was released, he placed a few, open-mouthed kisses on the other before finally, their lips locked and after a quickly decided battle, his tongue was pinned to the roof of his mouth.

"You're not going win this time." Marvolo smirked, pupils dilated in lust, after which he dived in again.

Harry submitted and relaxed, letting his lover devour him. Hands wandered down to his belly, stroking the line of hair that went from his naval to his private parts. He closed his eyes and groaned, breathing hitching. His memories took him back to dark nights in which the man that now hovered above him, had had no idea of the thoughts that whirled in the teen's mind, thoughts that were coming true right this moment.

"Ah!" he gasped as long fingers wrapped around soft, heated flesh, stroking the length softly.

Still a bit frightened by the whole concept of having someone inside him, but also with a strange feeling of anticipation, he spread his legs, well aware of the erection against his leg, which hardened even more at the gesture that could not be misunderstood. Marvolo broke the kiss and rolled to his side, trying to control his breathing. Ruby, clouded eyes stared at Harry and the hand released his member to stop just in front of his face. He took the hand and heaved himself up on an elbow to lick the fingers, thoroughly coating them with his saliva before lying down again.

The man took one of the teen's legs and pushed it up, revealing the twitching hole. Marvolo arched an eyebrow at his lover, and Harry nodded, slightly dazed. He felt a wand at his entrance and got that odd, empty feeling again as it was cleansed. He tensed when a finger was inserted, surprised that the foreign feeling was so… pleasurable. It wiggled around, digging deeper into him and he arched into the touch, rocking against it. A strangled moan followed as a mouth engulfed his cock and this time, he did watch, almost coming at the sight and the sensations. A shudder wracked his body when a sensitive spot inside of him was hit and he remembered Marvolo's reaction when he had taken the man.

"Again." He whispered, and the spot was stroked with such excruciating gentleness that every fiber of his body screamed for more. A second finger followed, scissoring him. He winced when it hurt, but it subsided quickly, mostly because of the tongue that was lapping at the head of his cock.

"I need to…" he breathed, almost sobbing when his prostate was hit again.

It appeared to be the wrong thing to say, for Marvolo pulled away with a grin, lying down himself, next to Harry. With a desperate growl, he threw himself on the man, not caring how he looked as he writhed against the other, his hands wandering over the torso, sides and legs. He latched onto a nipple, sucking as if his life depended on it. He massaged Marvolo's heavy, full balls and decided to return the favour he had been giving earlier by kissing the throbbing dick.

"Please." He whined, and finally, his lover rolled back on top of him again, not wasting time anymore.

He struggled to breathe as his ass was stretched open and the tip of the cock was slowly pushed in. It was painful and he clenched his muscles, but it only increased the pain.

~Relax.~ He heard, and gradually, he loosened up.

It slowly slid in, now and then pulling out a bit before pushing in again. By the time Marvolo's balls slapped against his cheeks, he was completely turned on again, and precum dripped down his hardness. Harry pulled Marvolo down, so that the weight was crushing him. The man lifted himself up again in confusion to let Harry breathe, but he was pulled down again and Harry wrapped his arms and legs around the man on top of him.

"Harry…"

The teen didn't answer, reveling in the feeling of the man on top of him, inside of him, around him. He needed it more than oxygen, so he clung onto his love for dear life, not ever wanting it to end. He began to rock back and forth, moaning and breathing heavily and unsteady at the wave of pleasure the movement gave him, his prick trapped in between his own stomach and Marvolo's. Only when black spots began to dance before his eyes did he, reluctantly, push Marvolo back a bit. Getting the hint, the man sat up, but not without grabbing Harry's legs just beneath his ass and snapping his own hips forward, driving his cock deep into the tightness.

"Salazar…" he panted, looking down at the disheveled teen who was covered in a sheen of sweat, his mouth open a bit, now and then making the most delicious noises. To his surprise, Harry chuckled.

"I don't believe I'm as old as he is."

"And you say my humor sucks."

"It does. I rather have your mouth sucking me though."

Who had guessed that his lover liked to talk dirty during sex?

"Oh, it will, if you're good." He whispered, leaning close to Harry's ear.

"Hmm, am I not good already?" the boy said, pulling his legs to his chest to lift his ass in a submissive gesture. Whatever he had wanted to say next was lost in a loud cry when Marvolo pulled almost completely out and rammed inside with a single thrust due to the new angle. He rolled his hips a few times and then pulled out fully.

"Marvolo!" Harry whined, and the man knew that his young lover was on the verge of breaking.

"You want something?" he asked sweetly, and he saw that Harry was struggling to form words.

"I want you to make me come…" the teen said, and Marvolo bent down, giving the now red cock a long, slow lick before flipping Harry over on his stomach.

"Then get to your knees."

Harry did so, not even hesitating this time. He buried his head in the pillows when his hips were grabbed, and he felt Marvolo's cock leaving a wet trail between his ass cheeks before pushing in again. It took less than a minute of fast, shallow thrusting and Marvolo pulling at his cock with firm, quick tugs this time to sent him over the edge and he came over the bed, absolutely not caring when he collapsed in it. When he was still riding out his orgasm, hot seed spilled in his body. He lay there, unable to move anymore and snuggled into Marvolo's embrace when strong, cold arms wrapped around him. The softening cock slid out of him and he felt cum drip out. He clenched his ass to prevent it from leaking out. A chuckle reached his ears and a cold breath fanned his neck.

"Did you like it?"

"Yes." He breathed back, smiling when a tongue began to lick his earlobe.

He felt that he was getting rather sleepy. "Actually, I rather like the name." he yawned.

"What name?"

"Salazar."

"Hmm, well then, my little serpent. I do believe I have found a new name for you then."

Harry turned around and cuddled up to the chest of his lover, humming contently when fingers began to card through his locks.

"Will you be here when I wake up?" he asked.

"I'm sorry, but I do believe you will have to wake up somewhere else, somewhere I cannot be."

Harry nodded sadly.

"Sleep now, my little Salazar. You will be seeing me rather often, so there is no need to be concerned.

He kissed the teen's lips rather passionately, and after another, gentle peck on the forehead, Harry fell asleep

* * *

Harry covered his eyes against the bright light that flooded the room.

_Wait, Light?_

He shot up, momentarily abashed by his surroundings. When the hell did he get back to Gryffindor tower? He flushed, remembering last night's events and grinned, touching his lips. He wondered how Marvolo had brought him back here, without even knowing the password. –not that the Fat lady would have let him in even with one. Unless she didn't want to have her frame sliced up again like in third year with Sirius.- he figured that, would he ask, he'd just get a 'because I'm awesome' answer, so that wouldn't help much either.

He sighed when seeing it was almost time to get up. He saw that the rest was still asleep and clambered out of bed. He smiled when he wanted to get clothed, noticing that the usual shirt that went with the school uniform had been replaced by something else, a very fine looking, warm shirt of a silvery grey material. He wondered what it was because, knowing Marvolo, it wasn't just to look pretty. He opened his trunk, seeing the map and invisibility cloak folded up perfectly. He took his schedule, smirking.

_Potions. Wonderful. I'll bet Snape will have a hard time not snapping at me too much._

The common room was almost empty. Only the Weasley twins were to be seen, sniggering softly over something. Curious, Harry approached them, arching his eyebrow when seeing the paper on the wall.

Gallons of Galleons!

Pocket money failing to keep pace with your outgoings?  
Like to earn a little extra gold?  
Contact Fred and George Weasley,  
Gryffindor common room for simple,  
part-time, virtually painless jobs.  
(We regret that all work is undertaken at applicant's own risk)

"Hermione is going to be furious." Harry said airily, wondering with amusement what they were up to this time. They never failed to be interesting.

"Harry! We didn't see you there! And? How was last night?" one of them said with twinkling eyes.

The teen stopped dead in his tracks. "I'm sorry?" he asked, his heart thumping wildly. They couldn't have seen…

"Well, we heard someone sneak out of the portrait hole and saw nobody. And now with you coming here, clearly visible hickeys on your neck…

Harry's hand shot up to his neck, cursing inwardly. Couldn't Marvolo have done something about that as well? He growled, taking his wand and healed the bruises with a simple spell that he had looked up in the library of his lover's home. He actually tried it for the first time now, and was pleased with the result, although a few red spots remained.

"Very well, I sneaked away. What about it?" he said, his eyes narrowing. The twins simultaneously raised their hands up in a defensive gesture.

"Who said anything about us wanting to know something about your business?"  
"Yes, we don't stick our noses where they don't belong…"  
"Most of the time."  
"If it doesn't involve someone we don't like anyways."  
"Just make sure you don't tell Hermione **this**,"  
"And we won't tell her **that**."  
"Was it good, by the way?"

"Yes, it was very good, thank you. And would you stop that, I'm getting a headache."

"Stopping"  
"What"  
"Harry?"

Harry just glared at the smirking boys. "Nevermind. So I take that this has something to do with that joke shop of yours that you want to set up?"

"Yes. We just need volunteers."  
"Of course, we tried everything ourselves already,"  
"We just want to see if it has the same effect on everybody."

"Well, good luck with it. What are you experimenting with just now?"

"Candy that makes you ill until you swallow the other half."  
"Very useful for skipping classes."  
"And annoying the hell out of the teachers."  
"I doubt that anyone will be so stupid,"  
"As to try it during Snape's lessons though."

"Pity." Harry snorted. "Would you like to come with me for breakfast?"

"Sure."

"So." He spoke up again as they walked through the corridors. "What do you think about that Umbridge woman?"

"Percy spoke rather fond of her. That can't be good. Did you hear the news by the way?"

"What news?"

"Percy broke his ties with us because mum and dad follow Dumbledore."

"Why?" Harry asked. He had never thought Percy to be very nice, but this was not something he had expected from the snobby boy.

"He's got a high job in the Ministry now. Dumbledore is seen there as a senile old man."

"Isn't he?" Harry chuckled, and they laughed together. It felt nice to be able to have people to laugh about things like that. Hermione would probably scold him for it.

"Sure he is, but brilliant nonetheless. If I were Percy, I'd not have chosen the weakest link in this world. Fudge is an idiot." The conversation reminded him of the one he'd heard during his first Death Eater meeting, where he'd met 'The gang' as Devaki called them.  
"He's also in denial mode." Said the other, who had remained strangely silent until now. "About the Dark L… You-Know-Who."

Harry's mind didn't register the slip because he was lost in thought. "What do you think about it all? Voldemort, the Ministry, the Order…"

"I think it's all a highly complicated mess, and that it's going to be more of a political thing than an outright war. At least, till now."

"What makes you say that?" Harry asked, noticing that they had hit the nail on the head.

"You-know-Who is strangely silent. You'd think that now Dumbledore and you keep trying to convince the world that he's really back, he would try to challenge you personally, yet he sits back and waits. Nothing has happened on the surface. Through Percy though, we heard that some laws have been changed. Of course, he's totally unaware of the fact that it strokes perfectly with the believes of the Dark.

"Pureblood supremacy?" Harry snorted, although inwardly, he was glowing. He knew of the laws that had been changed. Most of them were to give magical creatures more rights, a request on behalf of their allies.

"Harry…" one of them said hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"We need to speak to you, somewhere in private. It's about… well, about the Order's agenda. You know those ears we invented?"

"Yes?"

"We overheard some… more private conversations of Dumbledore that you might be interested in. You know we're your friends, right? We'd hate to-"

"Fred." The other interrupted with a sharp voice, and Fred and George stared at each other for a while. Finally, Fred nodded stiffly. "Anyways, come talk to us when you feel up to it, okay?"

"I'll keep it in mind." Harry answered, having become somewhat wary about the whole conversation, yet, he felt that it was very important and decided to search them out at the end of the day, if possible. He might be dense now and then, but he certainly was not dumb. They had heard Dumbledore say something that they didn't like, and that Harry wouldn't like either. Or perhaps wouldn't have liked if he wasn't already Dark.

They entered the hall and sat down in silence. There were few others, so the sound would carry far. Noticing Dumbledore sitting at the head table, he preferred to keep quiet. He speculated about when Dumbledore would demand to hear his 'kidnapping story' for himself, and if he suspected that there was something off about it. Naturally, it wasn't very Malfoy- like to suddenly become good friends with Harry Potter, but, as Marvolo had pointed out, Lucius was always out for his own gain. Despite that fact however, Harry rather doubted that it was very beneficial for Lucius' job at the Ministry to befriend 'the lunatic who spouted nonsense about the return of a certain Dark lord'. Harry needed to speak to his lover about that. He was just done eating when Hermione and Ron came in. He didn't really feel like talking to them, but for the sake of appearances, tried to listen to them. His head was spinning a bit and he didn't feel well.

"Hey," he said to George. "Does that stuff of you also work against normal illness? If you only eat the 'feel better' part of it?

George looked at him with surprise, which soon turned into a thoughtful look. "I don't know. We never tried that. You want to be our test person?" he grinned.

"No thanks George. I think I'll go to Madam Pomfrey for a pepper-up. See you around. Hermione, Ron, I'm going to the hospital wing, okay? See you in potions." He told them, and hurried off.

* * *

Damn that Potter boy! Not a single day at school and already had he unwittingly aroused suspicious inside the castle. Luckily of no-one who really mattered, but still. Eyolf sighed as he watched the boy from the shadows. He wondered what the Dark Lord saw in this kid. Upon asking around, he had heard that Potter had quite a high status among the Death Eaters, even though he hadn't mingled with the Inner Circle much. Most followers of the Dark lord were suspicious of the assassin, which was quite annoying, for it meant less information. Trying as he might, he'd not succeeded to go unnoticed among the ranks in the Dark army. His name had spread before he'd even had the chance to erase the trail. His one and only mistake he had ever made in his career.

His eyes never let go of Potter's back as he slid from shadow to shadow. He was glad that he didn't need to take care of the Weasley twins… Deciding that there was little that could go wrong when talking to a nurse and after that being under the 'care' of Severus Snape. –whom he needed to have a good chat with later, now he thought of it.-, he disappeared into a wall, checking the map of the castle with moving dots. He'd been lucky to see Potter use it, and had spent a while copying it the moment Potter had been talking to the Dark Lord about… whatever they had talked about. He wasn't so suicidal as to actually try to listen in on** that** conversation. –though really, why the hell had they been talking in a **bathroom** of all places?-

* * *

**Detergeo**: wipe away, wipe off

Read and Review!

xx GeMerope


	15. Part I Chapter XV

First of all, you will probably recognise some passages here that I took from OotP –both the book and the film to keep a little variation in it :P , like the speeches of teachers. After all, I don't think they would change their speech much because Harry has gone Dark… I tried to change some bits about them though, for I didn't feel like just copying the book. After all, it wouldn't be fanfiction anymore then, hm?

Enjoy!

* * *

He entered the dungeon and gave his professor a disdainful look, smirking smugly when it had the desired effect: riling the man up, especially as said man was in no position to go against him. Not anymore. The encounter they had had at Marvolo's manor had turned the tides. Nevertheless, Snape still glowered at him and looked like he wanted to strangle the teen. Instead, he released his fury at those who were less lucky and influential than Harry in a longwinded speech, practically saying they were idiots and that pretty much no-one was good enough to get a pass for their OWL's. Not that Harry cared whether or not he would pass potions. Before, he'd thought about becoming an Auror, and potions was a mandatory course for that, but now he was with Marvolo, he doubted that would be the best choice of career. After all, he was now with the wizards who were hunted…

Harry was glad that Marvolo had fixed his eyesight. Finally there was no more haze in front of his eyes where potion damp clung to his glasses. In effect, he could now read the instructions more clearly that had appeared on the blackboard. Still, he wasn't brilliant in potions and he knew it, and this particular potion was the hardest they had ever had. Ron's cauldron was already shooting green sparks, and while Hermione's potion looked perfect as ever, even she was having a hard time to do everything in the right order and add the exact ingredients. Harry narrowed his eyes and tried to make out Snape's scratchy handwriting, after which he added a few drops of Hellebore syrup. In the end, it appeared that he had made a mistake somewhere anyway, for it was darker than it should be and had a strange, green shine over it, but it **was** purple and fluid, unlike Goyle's potion, a sticky brown muddy mess. Snape inspected the cauldrons, glowering dangerously over his long hooked nose at anyone who hadn't reached the level of perfection he wanted, and at Hermione just because she was a Gryffindor and he couldn't stand her. Harry clenched his jaw when Snape looked at his potion, and he was left with astonishment as he didn't get an immediate zero for the first time he'd had potions.

"You forgot to stir counterclockwise in the end, Potter." Snape snapped. "And only an idiot would not have seen that I wrote **six** acer leaves, not** eight**." Harry glanced at the blackboard, really not able to tell if the number Snape had written there was a six or an eight.

Snape strode away, and Ron, who had gotten a tongue-lashing that was quite a bit longer, raised his eyebrows at him. Harry just shrugged. Ron's potion** had** been bad. Harry put his potion in a flask like they were instructed, gleefully watching as Goyle's one exploded and set his robes on fire, surprising himself by the thought that it was a pity that Snape had been able to extinguish the fire before it could burn some flesh away…

"Well," Hermione commented after the lesson. "At least he's a bit fairer to you this year, hmm? Must be because the OWL's are coming up."

"Must be." Harry mumbled, sighing irritably when he heard how unbelievable it sounded.

"I'll see you later, okay? I have Ancient Runes now."

"We have sleep-hour." Ron yawned, stretching his arms. "Also known as Divination."

"Oh, with** that** woman." Hermione said disapproving "I honestly wonder why she never got fired."

"Yeah, me too." Ron grumbled. "But I prefer her lesson over something dull like Arithmacy."

"Arithmacy is** useful** Ron!" Hermione said, and Harry was very glad that they had to split ways with her before she could begin a rant about their choice of subjects.

Ron and Harry walked up the stairs to the northern tower, not really looking forward to sitting in a classroom with professor Trelawney for an hour… Harry could only begin to imagine the horrible deaths he would die this year… maybe she'd get more creative though. She'd already had predicted every death that he could have imagined, plus some that he'd have never thought of, like getting paralyzed during Care of Magical Creatures, after which he would slowly be eaten by flobberworms. She probably didn't know that those only ate lettuce… Maybe they got sick of being vegetarian? He snorted and Ron gave him an odd look.

"Nothing. Just thinking what the hag will say this year. Do you think that she'll use the return of Voldemort to paint even more colourful schemes of my demise?"

"Possible, yeah. Oooh, Mr Potter… tomorrow, You-Know-Who will find a secret way to gain access to the castle and secretly snatch you from your bed to drag you to a dungeon…" Ron said in a spooky voice, and Harry doubled over in laughter, mainly because it was very likely to happen… only he wouldn't be dragged to the dungeon to be killed but to be snogged.

Somewhere on the endless stairs, he got lost in thoughts. Last night, he and Marvolo hadn't really spoken about how he should act, and while he knew that Marvolo trusted him, he had no idea what would be most beneficial to the Dark. He couldn't lose face in front of Dumbledore, so he had to act believable, but if he shouted out to the world that Voldemort was back, wouldn't that be a drawback for the Dark Lord?

_No… whatever I do, my missions now are the most important. To execute those, I need to have Dumbledore's trust, which is more important than anything now. I just need to act like I did last year. The rest of the world thinks that I and Dumbledore are crazy anyway. Why not exploit that?_

"Good day." Professor Trelawney said in her usual dreamy voice as they entered the classroom. "And welcome back to Divination. I have, of course, been following your fortunes most carefully over the holiday, and am delighted to see that you have all returned to Hogwarts safely –as, of course, I knew you would. This semester we will begin to study dreams. On the tables before you, you will find copies of The Dream Oracle, by Indigo Imago. Dream interpretation is of immense importance, for your dreams are messages of your sub-consciousness… This may also very well be tested in your OWL's. Personally, I don't think that a pass or fail is so important, but your headmaster and the Ministry like to see your results on paper… Not that it matters. If you have a Seer's Eye, then you won't have to worry about your future…"

She smiled at her own joke, which Harry thought was pretty lame, and he and Ron rolled their eyes at each other before trying to stifle their laughter, which earned them a disturbed glare of professor Trelawney. "Mr Potter, I see that Fate decided to play some more with you before your gruesome ending –which I won't indulge in for now.- Ah, I have Seen it all… I am sorry, my boy, but you won't be among us for much longer… now He has returned…" Harry didn't really know if it was a good thing or not that she believed him about Voldemort's return. Ah well, if she believed it, then others were less likely to do so… "But enough of that! Choose a partner and analyse the dreams you've had this night…"

Harry sighed and flipped open his book. What had he dreamt of this night? He couldn't really remember. After his… activities, he'd been so tired that he'd sunk away into oblivion. "So, Ron. Dreamt anything that predicted Snape blowing himself up with a potion?"

"Nah, but I'm sure we can turn any dream into that." Ron grinned.

"Wonderful."

"Yeah, I actually dreamed about Quidditch, and Malfoy fell off his broom, after which he dropped into the lake and got eaten by the Giant Squid."

"Let's see… Quidditch against Slytherin… that must surely represent the battle between you, a Gryffindor, and Snape, head of Slytherin… Malfoy represented Snape, and he fell to his death in the lake, which is liquid, which therefore is the equivalent of a potion. So, Snape drowns in his own potion. Good, eh?"

"You're brilliant. What'd you dream?"

"Nothing really."

"Nothing? Hmm… the blackness represented darkness, You-Know-Who is dark, so you actually dreamt of how you fell by You-Know-Who's hand…"

"Perfect." Harry said airily. "So, what are you going to do next Hogsmeade weekend?"

* * *

Forty-five minutes later they descended the stairs, sniggering. They'd both gotten an Acceptable for today's lesson. Harry looked forward to scribbling down nonsense dreams in the 'dream diary' they had to keep the following month.

"I wonder if Umbridge is a good teacher…" Ron mused.

"She didn't get sent here to teach, really. So I don't think so. I hope that she's better than Lockheart at least."

"Can anyone be** worse**?"

"True."

"She better not give us anymore homework…" Ron growled. I mean, we already have to do a foot long essay about moonstone from Snape, write a lot about Giant wars for Binns and now keep a dream diary for Trelawney! This year is going to be hell…

Tingles of hate crept up Harry's skin again when he crossed gazes with the woman, who was already sitting at the desk when they entered the DADA classroom. The black satin bow on her head reminded him of a fly, perched atop of an extremely ugly toad...

"Good afternoon, class." She said with a wide smile, and got a few mumbles as reply.

"No, no, that won't do at all. Now, I would like it if you would reply with: Good afternoon, professor Umbridge. One more time please. Good afternoon, class!"

"Good afternoon, professor Umbridge." Harry said, making sure to add as much sarcasm in his tone as he could. She either didn't notice the mood of the class or didn't care, because she leaned back in her chair, looking very smug.

"Now, that wasn't too difficult was it? Wands away and quills out please!"

His mood diminishing every passing second, Harry stuffed his wand in his bag and took parchment and quills. He decided that, if she wouldn't be teaching them well, he could use this class as an opportunity to spy on her and to try to get reactions out of her on various touchy subjects to know where the Ministry stood. When she got up and wrote: _Defense Against the Dark Arts: Return to the Basic Principles_ on the blackboard, he knew that hope on good Defense lessons would be reduced to zero.

"Your previous instruction in this subject has been disturbingly uneven. But you will be pleased to know from now on, you will be following a carefully structured, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic. Copy down the following please:

_Course Aims:  
1. Understanding the principles underlying defense magic  
2. Learning to recognise situations in which defensive magic can be legally used.  
3. Placing the use of defensive magic in a context for practical use._

Harry stared at the Course aims, skimming over them a few times and sat back in his chair, stunned. Theory? That woman thought that they could learn Defense by theory only? It seems that Hermione agreed with him, for she looked alarmed and opened her book, reading frantically "There's nothing in here about **using** defensive spells." Hermione commented, frowning her forehead in confusion while flipping through the pages of the book.

"Using spells? Ha ha! Well I can't imagine why you would need to **use** spells in my classroom. And I would like it if you raised your hand before saying something."

"We're not going to use magic?" Ron gaped, incredulous.

"Hand Mr…?

"Weasley." Ron said, thrusting his hand up in the air.

"You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way." She smiled with that super sweet tone of hers while something in her eyes glinted, which looked suspiciously much like hidden madness.

"Well, what use is that? If we're are to be attacked it won't be risk-free." Harry said, not understanding the tactic of the Ministry. Didn't they want to raise wizards who could fight? Or was Fudge in such a denial about Voldemort's return that he didn't even wish to think about Dark magic?

"**Students will raise their hands when they speak in my class.**" Umbridge snapped before folding her lips in a perfect smile again. "It is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be sufficient to get you through your examinations, which after all, is what school is all about."

"And how is theory supposed to prepare us for what's out there?" He was becoming quite angry now. If they wouldn't get any practice, how could they ever pass their OWL's? How could they ever learn how to perform the spells? Solely teaching theory was insane!

"There is nothing out there, dear! Who do you imagine would want to attack children like yourself?"

"I don't know, maybe, Lord Voldemort!" he snapped, priding himself on the fact that he didn't shout out The Order or even The Ministry… He saw Malfoy giving him an odd look out of the corner of his left eye, but he knew what he was doing. Dumbledore would immediately begin to suspect that something was wrong if he didn't stay in character. He tried not to grin when Lavender yelped and Neville fell sideways off his chair at the name.

Umbridge narrowed her eyes and suddenly looked a lot more like a spy from the Ministry than a professor. "Now, let me make a few things quite plain… It has come to my attention that **some people** are under the impression that a certain dark wizard has risen from the dead."

Harry glowered at her and she glared back at him. "These are **lies**."

"I am** not** a liar." He said. "I saw him, he **killed** Cedric Diggory."

"And you fought him?" Umbridge asked with a superior smile.

"Yes, I did." Harry said, having found something to use to his advantage. If he just made it look like he was lying…

"And how did you escape?"

"I… um… something weird happened and I fled." He said lamely, and it was clear that she didn't believe him. Well, he'd never have thought that his talent for not being able to lie would come in handy someday.

"Ten points from Gryffindor. As I said, these are** lies**."

"They're **not**!"

"Detention, Mr Potter." She said in a triumphant voice.

"So according to you, Cedric dropped dead of his own accord?"

"Mr Diggory's death was a tragic accident-"

"It was murder!"

"Read chapter one, class." She said, ignoring him.

Harry decided to drop it before she could do more than give him a detention. After all, she was someone with much influence and it wouldn't be good to be seen as too unbelievable either. He had no desire to be regarded as a lunatic for the rest of the year. Thus, he opened his book and started reading, calming himself by taking deep breaths and succeeding surprisingly well. He thought of Cedric… he'd been so angry about that when it had happened… now he just felt a feeling of pity for Cedric and for the teen's relatives. The rest of the class passed without further incident, but as they got out, Hermione shrieked:

"This lesson is worthless. How could professor Dumbledore have let this happen? We're not even allowed to practice!"

"What do you suppose we do about it?" Ron snorted. "We can hardly train ourselves…"

Harry didn't like the glance Hermione threw at him after that at all and turned to her. "What's on your mind?"

"You've survived a lot… battled evil. You're on top of the class with defense." She squeaked, smiling in excitement.

"So?"

"**So**, if we'll have to deal with** her** for the rest of the year, we'll never pass our OWL's!"

"What makes you think that I'll be able to teach?"

"You have experience." She said, and Ron's eyes lit up.

"Mate, that would be brilliant! Like the dueling club in second year, just not with Lockheart and Snape and Malfoy…"

"Just a small group of people." Hermione said, also enthusiastic.

Harry's stomach dropped. At one hand, he'd really like that, but, other than that he didn't have time for anything like that, he also didn't have any desire to train his enemies, for most of the Gryffindors would stick to the Light when his betrayal came out. He didn't even know what Hermione and Ron would do….

"I'll think about it." he said to win time.

* * *

"You wanted to speak to me?"

"Not here, come"

Evening had fallen and after dinner, Harry had excused himself. Now, he was following the Weasley Twins through the corridors of the castle in search of a safe place to speak.

"Must this be so secretive?" he asked warily.

"Yes." One of them said, while the other pushed open a door of an empty classroom and put up a silencing barrier after making sure that there were no portraits in the room. Harry wiped the dust from a table and sat down on it, while Fred and George both slumped down on a chair.

"Harry… before we start talking, we want you to know that everything we say is the truth."  
"We swear it."  
"And you also might not like it. At all."

"I am listening. And please, can** one** of you tell the story?" Harry joked, earning him two weak grins.

"Very well. We were… testing our extendable ears during summer, while we overheard a conversation between Dumbledore and Mundungus."

"Wait... wasn't that that thief?"

"Yeah. At first we had no idea why he even was in the Order. Later that summer, we overheard more conversations. We'll spare you the details, but if summed up, it comes down to this: Dumbledore wanted to stalk you, not to see if you were safe, but to see if you didn't do any reckless things. Also, he's using mind magic to keep several students around you under compulsion charms. Nothing too serious or illegal, but enough to sway then a bit more to his side than they normally would. We also found those on ourselves and removed them immediately… And then there is the fact of the agenda of the Dark Lord… You see, Dumbledore told the Order and you as well, that the Dark wants purebloods to rule with violence, and kill Muggles. However, after a conversation that left us to seriously doubt that, we did a bit of… research. Fred?"

Fred made a roll of parchment appear and gave it to Harry. It was written by both Fred and George and contained all notes about the true visions of the Dark.

"Where'd you get this?" Harry said, after having seen that even the laws that had changed because of dark influence were on it.

"Percy. He was bragging about the many changes, so we asked him to send us a copy of those. We noticed that they stroked with the beliefs of the Dark."

"And how do you know about those?" The Twins looked at each other with hesitance. "Don't understand me wrong, I'm just curious."

"We got into contact with one of the Dark Lord's men…" George answered. "He was looking for some goods. Because of the prank shop we want to open, we're also familiar with the black market, and we literally bumped into him in one of the more shady neighborhoods that surround Diagon alley. We apologised and went to drink something with him. He spilled forth quite a lot when he was drunk. He was horrified when he found out when he was sober again, but we assured him that we wouldn't use it against him. Harry, the Dark wants… **good** changes for this world. I know that you might not want to believe that but…"

Harry broke him off by raising a hand. "I know guys. In fact, I know everything about the workings of the Dark. The one thing I don't understand though, is why Dumbledore doesn't like those."

"You… you know?"

"Fred, George, tell me… are you planning to become Death Eaters?"

A long silence fell before Fred finally said: "We thought about it. But we are also your friends and we still don't know what the Dark Lord wants to do with you. We're on **your** side Harry, and if you want to stay with the Light because the Dark Lord wants to kill you, we won't leave you."

Harry got up and walked to the door, looking over his shoulder with a smug grin. "Welcome to the Dark." He said, and slipped away.

* * *

Harry ran a hand through his hair, groaning at the pile of homework he'd gotten. –in **one** day!- He had promised himself to study harder as well, to make Marvolo proud of him. But how the hell would he have time for that? Puzzled, he read the passage he had to learn, for the fourth time, but it just didn't dawn on him. He had no idea what it even was about. _The extent of Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration?_ It had something to do with the limits of magic, but he couldn't quite figure out what the book meant. He glanced to his left, seeing that Hermione was busy with her own homework. Ron probably would be even more clueless than Harry… He felt a sudden tingle in his scar and rubbed it absentmindedly. A few seconds later, the tingle returned, more forceful, and he nearly knocked over his ink.

_Marvolo?_

The only answer he got was a tug in his head, and an image of his books came to the forefront of his mind. Not quite knowing why, he gathered his books and excused himself when Hermione asked where he was going. He ran upstairs and gathered his invisibility cloak, covered himself with it and went downstairs again, sneaking out of the portrait hole. The tug led him to an empty corridor and he curiously looked around, not seeing anyone. Suddenly, a door formed in the wall and when it opened, he saw Marvolo leaning against the doorframe.

"I can still sense you." The man smiled, and Harry took off his cloak, practically jumping in the man's arms, who chuckled deeply. "Let's get inside, we don't want people seeing me here, hmm?"

"No freezing chamber this time?" Harry joked. "Where are we anyway? I haven't ever been here."

"The Room of Requirements. It doesn't surprise me that you haven't heard of it. It's one of Hogwarts best kept secrets. I doubt that even Dumbledore knows of it. If you walk up and down the corridor three times while thinking of the room you need, it will turn into that one. It's very useful. Best thing is that no-one can enter the room if someone else is inside unless they think of exact the same room, or if they are invited, like you are."

"Indeed..." Harry said thoughtfully, letting his eyes rake over the interior, which looked like a large living room, with a study place to the left and another part of the room further to the back that looked like a bedroom. "Rather comfortable." he grinned.

"Ah, Hogwarts always has been, and will be, my first home… And with you here, the choice between this and an empty manor is easily made. Of course, I still use it as headquarters…"

"You live here?" Harry said, blinking in surprise.

"Yes, I do. You see, the room provides you with anything you wish… well, with the exception of food, and I've found something useful as well. This, together with the Chamber, is one of the sole places within Hogwarts that is not covered by the anti-apparation wards. Perhaps that is because wards need to have a substantial thing under it to guard, and this room is made of pure magic... I'm still researching it."

"Speaking of research, I believe you wanted to study my invisibility cloak?"

"Yes, but I think that you need it more now. So, I saw that you had trouble with your homework?"

"You… saw?"

"I was… testing that link. It seems that the ritual I performed had more aftereffects than I thought. I can, for example, look through your eyes if I so desire. I don't know if you can do that as well with me?"

"I wouldn't even know where to begin." Harry muttered, awed. "And you want to help me with my homework? Seriously?"

Marvolo laughed and pulled him to the couch, where Harry snuggled into his embrace. The man slowly scratched Harry's neck, who immediately relaxed under the touch. "Isn't that what a good boyfriend should do?" he whispered, pressing a kiss to the teen's temple. Harry blushed and looked up.

"Thanks." He beamed.

XXx

Marvolo softly stroked Harry's side, studying the teen's adorable face. He looked very handsome, with his messy hair and sparkling eyes. Really, he hadn't thought that it would have made such a big difference to get rid of those glasses. If he had known, he'd have suggested it sooner.

"Marvolo?" Harry said in a small voice, and the Dark Lord immediately knew that there was something troubling his lover.

"Yes?"

"Do you think I can do it? Those tasks? I know you trust that I can execute them, but I'm not so sure… I can hardly keep up with my homework, for Merlin's sake, how could I ever be useful? I'm just an average student, not to mention I haven't been exactly working hard to expand my knowledge last years… how do you expect me to outsmart Albus Dumbledore?"

Morgana, that helpless look on Harry's face… how could he have ever even thought of killing this boy? "My little Salazar… no-one expects you to suddenly become an amazingly powerful wizard overnight. You only found out that you were a wizard when you were eleven, something which should not have happened, and you're not exactly the studious type. It is only logical that you have trouble with magic that is considered to be your level, though I doubt that there are many students who understand whatever it is that you're learning right now. But the tasks I set on you have little to do with having much magical knowledge. It is more about trust and being sneaky. I will help you with the actual magic, and so will Eyolf. I would go up there myself, but that blasted bird wouldn't even let me get past the gargoyle before alerting Dumbledore, and there is very little to do about phoenixes. They are more powerful than they look. Fawkes trusts you, and so does Albus… well, he doesn't see you as a threat at the very least. You will do fine, I'm sure of that. And for your task with Draco… well, you know how to stay out of sight, though you still need to learn to see the true thoughts of people behind their masks…"

"I'll try…"

"That is all I ask. Now, what were you having trouble with?"

"Something called Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration. We need to study the extent of it, but I don't even know what the law is about. The book isn't exactly clear."

Marvolo groaned and rubbed his temple. So they still taught that piece of rubbish? While he had been a student, he'd even shown that it wasn't correct for Merlin's sake. "First of all… forget everything you read about it. It is a Law about the limit of magic. However, magic has no limit, if the wizard is powerful enough. The Law covers for example food."

"Food?"

"Yes. Apparently, it is impossible to create prepared food out of nothing."

"What do you mean with 'Apparently'?" Harry said, frowning.

He silently asked the chamber for a plate and it appeared in front of him. He grabbed his wand and pointed it at the plate, in his mind creating something simple: a bread. To great detail, he imagined how the flour, water and other ingredients were mixed and how the rest was prepared. Finally, he wordlessly made it appear on the plate. He picked it up and tore it apart with his fingers, calmly eating the pieces of magically made bread, which tasted like it came fresh out of the oven.

"How…"

"You see Harry, there are no limits to magic if we know how to use it. You cannot just make prepared food appear out of nothing if you only think of the bread. You need to think of all the ingredients and mentally create it. The same goes for animals. Do you know the spell **Avis**?"

"Yeah, it created birds."

"No, it creates magic that looks like birds. Do you have any idea what happens if those 'birds' disappear?"

"They become a bunch of feathers." Harry said, frowning.

"Indeed. For the spell only creates magic that looks like a bird. Therefore, if it is destroyed, then you will see that only the outer appearance is left. Namely, the feathers. No blood, no intestines, nothing. It is an empty shell that looks and acts like a bird. If you do the same with a bread, it would be a shell of magic that looked like bread. I, however, created it as it is. I went through the whole process, from growing the wheat to baking it, which is why it also took me so long. Of course, this is a very, very complex and inefficient way to get food, but the point is that is **is** possible. It is just that not many people would be able to recall all the steps of a meal, which is why they would just end up with magic that looks like food, but is only a tasteless shell of that food. You have to understand how it is made to make it yourself, but is** not** impossible. Therefore, this** law**, is a total farce."

"They're teaching us lies?"

"They're teaching you what they believe to be true. As I said, not many people would be able to do what I just did, and I know that I wouldn't be able to do it with something like lasagna."

Harry sniggered at that, and Marvolo thought that it looked way too cute on him. "And what else does this law cover?"

"Love, for example. You can create artificial love with a potion or the Imperius curse of course, but real love is said to be impossible…"

"Said?"

"Is love not magic of its own, Harry?" he smiled, tracing Harry's lips. "Of course it can be created by magic then. It is like with the food… you need to go through the whole process… every step. This time though, biological processes. Did you know that love actually is the result of a combination of substances and impulses in the brain? The wonder that people still haven't figured out of course, is why it happens with some persons, while with others, you have no click at all. But if I wanted to, I could bewitch someone with mind magic and make it so that the brain would receive the necessary impulses and substances to fall deeply, truly in love…"

"That is a scary thought." Harry said, and Marvolo couldn't do anything but agree with him. It **was** scary, but not more so then other branches of magic.

"It is how you use your magic Harry… essentially, it is not good nor evil. It is about power, and how we use the power given to us. It is the intent that makes it scary… or lovely. Take the Cruciatus curse, as extreme example."

Harry flinched, undoubtedly remembering his own experience with that particular curse. "How can **that** be used for good purposes?"

"When you put no malicious intent behind it, it does nothing. The Cruciatus curse is designed to let your brain think that your nerves have been stimulated. Your brain then sends out impulses that create pain. However, your nerves can also be stimulated… pleasantly." He chuckled when a faint blush appeared on Harry's cheeks. "Like to try?" he said suggestively, and the teen poked him in his side.

"No."

"Hmm, pity." Marvolo breathed, pressing his lips to Harry's temple.

The teen relaxed and sagged in his embrace. "You're really a genius, aren't you? To know all this stuff…" Harry said, respect in his voice.

"I've had a lot of time to study this all, but yes, I suppose I'm… smart." He said thoughtfully, not really wanting to brag. Then again, he would be the last to admit that he wasn't clever. Cause well… he **was**.

"But I can hardly write in my essay that this law is incorrect. Unless I've suddenly gone impossibly smart myself… which I haven't. And it's not like I know how to prove it…"

"I suppose that I can have a bit of fun while being here…"

"What do you mean?"

Marvolo flashed his lover a smile and nudged the boy so he could get up. He conjured a mirror, studying his features before slowly beginning to morph them. A few minutes later, his reflection was one of a tall man with brown hair and teal eyes, looking around the age of thirty. He heard Harry gasp in wonder when he turned around

"You… you're a methamorphmagus?" Harry said in astonishment. "I thought you said that you couldn't change your appearance anymore?"

"Artificial methamorphmagus. I didn't know if it would truly work, so I didn't say anything till now. I only completed the ritual two days ago. I came across a very old potion recipe that, combined with a certain blood ritual, would be able to change my genetics so I would have a methamorphmagus gene. I had to start over because I died in the middle of the process and resurrected with a new body, but I finally did it. So, do you think I could pass as your boyfriend who knows a lot about magic and can prove your Transfiguration teacher that this law is nothing but crap?"

"Definitely." Harry grinned, eyeing Marvolo with approval. "It's strange though, to see you like this. And it's good that I now have an excuse for last night…"

"What do you mean?"

"You were kind of rough on me." Harry said surly. "Fred and George demanded to know where I got hickeys and bite marks from. You live in Hogsmeade, okay? I said I sneaked away to see you, and they know about the underground tunnels to Hogsmeade."

"Sure. Who are Fred and George?"

"The Weasley Twins. And today, I found out that they want to join you."

"What?" Marvolo said, blinking. Weasleys? Joining** him**?

"Uh, it's kind of hard to explain…" Harry said, and after thinking for a while, Marvolo pressed his index finger to Harry's temple.

"Concentrate on that memory."

"What?"

"Remember when I fixed your mind? I went deeper than the memories that time, but I can see any memory of yours by delving into your mind as well. That is, if you don't throw me out, but I doubt that you could. No offense."

"None taken." Harry said, closing his eyes. "I'm ready."

When the Dark Lord pulled away from his lover's mind, he mulled over what he'd seen for a couple of minutes. Finally, he spoke: "This will be very useful. You handled it well…"

"I was afraid that maybe I said too much."

"No, you were just the last push to get them over to my side. Still, I'd never thought that the Dark army would ever have **Weasleys**. Do you think that could ask them for their schedule? I'd like to meet them. They seem… interesting."

"Sure. Oh and I have something else to tell you... well, more confess…" Harry said, shifting in his seat. –and by doing that, making it suddenly very hard to think straight for Marvolo, although the Dark Lord was sure that that wasn't intentional.-

"Confess?" he said once his arousal went down a bit.

"You remember when I went to the attic?"

"When I told you about the Hallows? Yes, I remember."

"I kind of forgot about it after all that hallow talk, but I also found some of your research concerning magical creatures."

"Oh, that. What's with it, do you need some explanation or so?"

"No but… I recognised some of those animals. A friend of mine, Luna Lovegood always talks about those."

"You gave it to her, didn't you?" Marvolo said with irritation. He could never get **angry **at Harry, but he'd never thought that the teen would carelessly hand out his personal research. "Harry, you should have asked."

"I know, I just forgot… and I didn't realise that I hadn't asked for permission after I'd given it to her."

"And now?" he sighed, rubbing his neck.

"You're not angry?" Harry said in a small voice, looking extremely guilty.

"I don't know yet." He said in a crabby tone, but pulled Harry a bit closer when the teen flinched. "I'm more worried about you. If she'll spread this around… I can think of a few people who can recognise my handwriting…" he murmured.

"She won't show others, of that I am sure. Most people think she's too… eccentric, but she's a really good friend if you get to know her… albeit a crazy one. Most students here ridicule her and her 'fantasy animals.' That's also the reason why I absolutely wanted to show her."

"As long as you think it is safe in her hands… but I do want to get it back soon. She can copy it if she likes, but I want the original back."

"I'll tell her… or you can tell her yourself, when you roam around the school looking like **that**." Harry smiled, gesturing at Marvolo's body, which he'd forgotten to change back. "Still, I like your normal body better."

"Ah, it was already quite clear that you are crazy, I don't need another confirmation." Marvolo chuckled, catching Harry's fist in his hand before it could hit his chest. He morphed back into his original body and curled his long fingers around Harry's hand, bringing it to his lips to place a soft kiss on the fingertips. "Oh, can you come tomorrow evening as well? I wish to speak to you and Eyolf."

"I have detention tomorrow night."Harry grumbled. "Umbridge didn't agree with me when I told her that you were back. I dropped the subject before she could do more however."

"Smart. You can't get too much on her bad side. She's known to be cruel. Be careful around her, yes?"

"I'll try. She just… gives me the shivers everytime I see her."

"I've researched her today, and I've found out awful things. Really, be careful."

"What kind of awful things?" Harry asked, frowning.

"She hates half-humans, as she calls them. Werewolves, vampires, mermen, just about any intelligent dark creature. She tried to create laws to mark mermen like cattle. One of my inside men stopped it just in time, but she did manage to outcast werewolves even more than they already were. She's the reason they can't get jobs. How is she in class?"

"She won't let us practice our spells. Says that there is nothing 'out there' that we need to be prepared for. Why do you think that the Ministry does not want us to really learn Defense?"

Marvolo smirked. "Ah… the Ministry doesn't trust Dumbledore. You see, Fudge still has this strange thought that Dumbledore wants to take over as Minister. Not that the old coot would… he would have to follow laws then… Albus isn't too fond of laws. Fudge sees the population of Hogwarts as an enemy, for they are mostly loyal to Dumbledore… I reckon that the Slytherins are going to be popular because of their hate and contempt towards the headmaster. Cornelis doesn't want you to be trained to fight for Albus."

"He thinks what, that we're all going to join an army for Dumbledore?"

"Something like that. He thinks that Hogwarts is slipping from control and that Dumbledore is too wayward to have such influence on the younger generation magicians."

"And you sit back and smirk while the Ministry dismantles the Order before finally taking down both the Ministry and Hogwarts in one strike?"

"Exactly. But before that happens, I still need certain information."

"What do you think you will find in Dumbledore's memories?"

"I want to know the full prophecy, and if there is any way to break it or at least get around it…"

"What prophecy?" Harry said, leaning back in his chest and looking up to him in curiosity.

* * *

Read and Review!  
xx GeMerope


	16. Part I Chapter XVI

Marvolo stared at the teen in his arms, trying to wrap his head around the fact that it seemed that Harry didn't know anything about the most important influence in his own life.

" Dumbledore." He growled out, earning him a strange look.

"What?"

"He didn't tell you about the prophecy? Nothing? You don't have any idea why it is that I came to your house that night when I…" he cut off, knowing that 'when I killed your parents and tried to murder you as well' just might bring about certain sad memories, but it seemed Harry understood what night he was talking about.

"What do you mean? My parents were members of the order, and thus your enemies, right?"

"Yes Harry, but there was a reason why I was there that night. There was a reason they were placed under high security and I certainly had a reason to try to kill an infant. As you know by now, I don't make a sport of it to hunt babies down." He sighed. "A prophecy had been made, and Severus overheard it. Pitifully, he was discovered halfway through. I should probably have waited until I had heard the whole damn thing, but I kind of… panicked, and I had heard enough to know that you would be dangerous for me."

"And… and what are its contents?" Harry asked quietly, nervously looking up.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... This is the first part, and I have never been able to get my hands on the second. You understand why I panicked and began my search, yes?"

"Of course." Harry said grimly. "But why… why have you ignored this till now? You do not wish to kill me any longer."

"I fell in love, Harry, it's as simple as that. I fell in love with you. Before, you were just a possible threat that I wanted to eliminate, but now you are so much more… I do not have enough information to find a way to get around it, after all, I don't know the rest, but I am going to try and until I know more, I will simply ignore it. The part I know states that you have the power to vanquish me, not that you absolutely will, or are obligated to do so. It is merely a speculation, but if the whole prophecy sounds like that, it will be easy to evade…"

"But if it's not… if it's not…" Harry muttered, and Marvolo didn't answer. Instead, he stared at the wall and tightened his grip on the teen's waist.

"I thought you knew this. I didn't think Dumbledore would have told you the whole prophecy, but I thought that at least he would have told you that there is one. I'm sorry." His own words sounded hollow, even to him, and more 'what if's' tried to settle down in his mind. "We will know it soon. Dumbledore is sure to have a copy of his memory among the memories which you will get for me."

"Why Dumbledore?"

"He was there when the prophecy was made. A woman who was applying for the post of divination made her first prophecy there and then. She left quite the impression on Dumbledore, it would seem. He wanted to cancel the subject altogether, but she got the post."

"Trelawney?" Harry said in a disbelieving voice. "They were killed because of **her**? But she couldn't predict something for the life of… oh." Marvolo got a headache while trying to follow Harry's line of thinking sometimes, and now was one of those times. "She made another prophecy." Harry said softly while adorably furrowing his brow. "At the end of my third year, she predicted Peter's escapade to you…"

"**Please**" Marvolo said with strain. "**Please** rephrase that so it doesn't sound like he ran away to his girlfriend."

Harry snorted, a mischievous look in his eyes. "What, wasn't he ever one of those who you took to your HEY! That wasn't necessary!" the teen pouted, rubbing the sore spot on his side where he'd been poked.

"Your own fault for sending me images I did** not**, under any circumstance, wish to see. And what you said before wasn't true. Your parents were not killed because of her. They would have been killed by me anyways. The difference would have been that I would not have tried to kill you and destroyed myself in the process. Because of that prophecy, I fell. You probably would have been raised by a wizarding family after your parent's example and become a warrior for the Light."

"I would have joined the rebellion, and the first war would never have ended?"

"Don't say never. It makes me feel inferior." Marvolo grinned. "I would have been able to end it in a couple of years if I hadn't died."

"There is something about that prophecy that I do not understand. It was made and said I would have the power to vanquish you. Then, you go to my house and are killed. Isn't that the end of it? What makes you think that it is still in effect?"

"I…" Marvolo said, blinking, while a smug smile made its way to Harry's face. "I assumed… but if you look at it that way…"

"Well?"

"I was killed, but does vanquish mean killed? I was not completely destroyed…"

"Did the prophecy explicitly say that if I were to vanquish you, I'd have to completely destroy you?"

"I don't know." The Dark Lord whispered. "Prophecies can be interpreted in too many ways, and just a slight different wording can have a whole other effect."

"What is the definition of 'vanquishing', exactly?" Harry asked, and since it did not sound like a rhethorical question, Marvolo summoned a book from the shelf.

Flipping through the pages, he read the sentences he needed and frowned. "To defeat someone in battle, to conquer someone. Nothing here says destroying completely. To vanquish someone can even mean that you defeat someone in a contest or a game."

"So then the first sentences would say that I would have the power to defeat you in something?"

"Yes. And you did. So in that regard, it is fulfilled.** But**, there is still the dilemma what the rest is."

"Do you think I could confront Dumbledore about it?"

"No. Don't. It would be too risky and you would need a good story. It is much easier to rummage through his memories until finding the one about the prophecy. He is the only one who ever heard it. And further, I wouldn't know where to…" Marvolo abruptly broke off when getting an epiphany. "Of course… of course… I should have known. Circe, I was even **told** about it…"

"About what?"

"The hall of prophecies." The Dark Lord declared. "It is a place in the Ministry of Magic that contains a record of every prophecy ever made. Rookwood, one of my followers, mentioned it once, when he was giving me information about the Unspeakables. He worked there, although in another room. I am ashamed to have to admit that I forgot, but he never gave me more detailed information about that room than its name and use. He didn't need to, for I wanted him to spy on another department, the Thought room. And to think that all those years, the prophecy lay there, just waiting for me to come by and pick it up… me or you."

"Won't anyone have taken it before us then? It was a long time ago…"

"Only those whom the prophecy refers to can hold it without burning themselves."

"Does Rookwood still work there?"

"No, he was caught after the end of the first war and locked up in Azkaban. He was one of those whom I broke out this summer, but there is absolutely no chance that he will be able to regain employment there again. No, **if** we are to receive it, we'll have to break in."

"Correction, **you** will have to break in. I doubt that I will be of much use." Harry pointed out, and Marvolo nodded.

"You're right. No matter how much I'd wish for us to discover it both at the same time, it would not be wise for you to go as well. Now, I must go and contact Rookwood for information about how to get in there unnoticed."

"Now? It is almost midnight! You need to sleep!" Harry protested, and Marvolo smiled before kissing the teen's cheek with affection.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me. I doubt I'll be able to get much sleep when mulling over these thoughts."

"Be safe."

"I will."

"Oh, Marvolo?"

"Yes, my dear?"

Harry stuttered a bit before blushing furiously while Marvolo sat back and smirked until Harry composed himself. "The Twins overheard Dumbledore during several conversations. It would seem that the headmaster used compulsion charms on some of my friends and perhaps other students as well to make them more 'light'. Can you check my mind? He probably tried that as well with me."

"Probably, but when I healed your mind after Bellatrix' Cruciatus curse, there was nothing that revealed mind magic. If there was, it is high likely that it was destroyed."

"Maybe that was another reason I was so… so…"

"Dark? Yes, though the main reason was that your sense of empathy, mercy and several other emotions were reduced to nothing."

" You wanted to come along to Transfiguration tomorrow, didn't you? Can you search the minds of my friends for Dumbledore's influence?"

"Of course. That will be easy. Now, I have to go to speak to Rookwood."

Harry gave him a crushing hug which he returned with enthusiasm. "I'll see you tomorrow then, kay?"

"What time do you have transfiguration?"

"Right after the first break."

"I'll be in front of the classroom."

"How will I call you? I need a name…"

"Thanos du Fuga." Marvolo said immediately, and Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, okay? Why?"

"Voldemort means Flight of death. Thanos du Fuga literally means Death of flight, although in a mixture of Greek, French and Latin. I thought it to be a nice joke. A literal translation to Flight of death wouldn't go unnoticed by Dumbledore, but I can get away with this, especially because there really is a du Fuga family in Italy. They are one of the oldest pureblood families in Europe and, as their surname already indicates, have their roots in the Roman empire."

"And won't they notice it if there is someone who uses their name here?"

"Even if they do, They owe me a huge favour. Years ago, before the start of the first war, I cured the heir of the du Fuga family. The healers were at lost, but with a book of Slytherin and some parselmagic, I was able to cure him."

"Why are you so amazing?"

"What do I say, it's a talent." Marvolo smirked.

"Hmm, I am glad to have such a talented boyfriend…" Harry said, and pressed a kiss to the corner of Marvolo's lips.

"Boy?" the man laughed.

"I can hardly tell my friends your age, can I? So, do you also have some background for me?"

"Of course, I went to school at Nobilemagia, the school for magic in Italy, left school a year early, hence the reason I cannot show any sort of certificate, travelled around, had several jobs, excelled at healing, and now I live in Hogsmeade, cobbleroad 9, running a small apothecary. "

"And… won't anyone notice that there isn't an apothecary?"

"Oh, there is… you will find everyone in the village willing to tell you of the charming, friendly young man who came to live there two years ago. Strangely enough, the old woman who used to live there until a two days ago is never mentioned by them…"

"You killed her?" Harry said, strangely enough not feeling angry or disgusted.

"Yes. No-one will miss her anyway. She didn't have family or friends and kept to herself a lot. Cobbleroad 9 is a house that lies a bit apart from the rest, and the street itself is located in a part of Hogsmeade that is usually only visited by inhabitants of the village itself."

"How did you do it? Not the killing part… the persuasion charms… that was what you used, right?"

"Indeed. I created a sort of wave-like frequency that nestled its way into the long-term memory of everyone who came in near and about a four-mile distance of Hogsmeade, containing the information I wanted it to, and another to erase any thoughts about the old witch who used to live there. It is a harmless spell that goes unnoticed, and once it is part of the long-term memory, it will seem as a memory of your own, rather than a memory that was placed there by someone else. Seeing as Hogwarts lies within a four-mile radius of Hogsmeade, everyone in the castle, including Dumbledore and the other professors, will have this memory. So don't be surprised if they think they have met me before somewhere or know bits about me. Of course."

"When did you all do this?" Harry asked, astonished. "and how did you know it would be necessary? up until this evening, you didn't even want to walk around in your other form, right?"

"I hadn't planned on actively using it… but having a disguise or alibi can never hurt. Therefore, I spent last days creating Thanos."

"Why don't I have that information?"

"After the Cruciatus curse of Bellatrix, I made sure your mind would be protected from outer damage from now on, thus I put up shields against intruding magic. The spell I used did not settle in your mind because of those shields. Now, no more questions, it is late already and I have a prophesy to retrieve."

As an answer, Harry hugged Marvolo for a few minutes, mentally making a picture of the scene, so he would be able to recall this memory clearly later. When he released his lover, he got to his feet and picked his cloak up from the ground.

"Bye!" Harry said while covering himself up again. Marvolo just smiled and got up to apparate away.

* * *

Harry held his breath as he entered the dorm, glad to find Ron snoring already. The other boys were sleeping as well, and Harry snickered under his breath when he heard Neville mumble something about forgetting passwords and Snape. Making sure that he was absolutely silent, Harry changed into his pajamas and then snuck to his trunk. He opened it and lifted the lid carefully, stuffing the invisibility cloak inside. He hesitated a moment, but then searched around in the trunk until his fingers got hold of a pentagon-shaped card. He closed his fist around it and pulled back, closing the trunk again. Harry turned the card around in his hand with a smile on his face and laid it on top of his pillow so that the moonlight shone on it. He crept under the blankets, propping himself up on his elbows to stare at the card. He wondered if it was weird to be so obsessed with your lover, but he could never get enough of staring at Marvolo's face. He caressed the picture, and the Dark Lord just blinked lazily and crossed his arms, still arrogantly staring back.

"I love you, y'know." He whispered before placing it under his pillow.

* * *

His feet landed on the wet soil and he curled his lips in disgust when catching sight of the shack. That someone could sink as low as to live **here**. Well, he guessed that the chance that the Ministry found his follower was too high to risk returning to his family home, which the man had had to leave to the care of the time when spending his years in Azkaban. Marvolo pulled his hood far over his face. It was in the middle of the night, so no Muggles were outside, but one could never be careful enough… When standing in front of a paintless, tattered door, he rapped on the wood.

"Who's there?" a raspy, panicked voice sounded.

"It is I, your Lord." He spoke, glad that his follower was awake still.

A few shuffling sounds later, the door opened. "My lord! Come in, come in please. To what do I owe this honour? Please, take a seat."

With as much dignity as he could manage, he sat down on a creaky, ramshackle chair and placed his arms and hands on the table.

"Tea, My Lord?"

"No thank you Rookwood. I'm just here for some information. I won't be staying long."

"Of course." Rookwood replied, bowing his head a little before looking up with curiosity. He sat down on the opposite chair.

"Years ago, when you first started working at the Department of Mysteries, you mentioned a hall of prophecies to me, is that correct?"

"Yes, my lord."

"I need to collect a prophecy there. What is the precise location of the hall and how are the prophecies arranged?"

"You do know, my Lord, that only those whom the prophecy refers to, can touch it…"

"I know." He replied, making an impatient gesture with his hand.

"I haven't been there for thirteen years… the security may have changed."

"I am positive that no security will pose a threat to me, now, tell me, where is it and how do I get in?"

"It is located on the ninth floor, all the way to the left when exiting the elevator. There is a long corridor with a black door at the end of it. Once you have entered that, you will face a set of doors. Once you close the door behind you, the doors will rotate, so the easiest way to find the hall is to leave that door open. You need to enter the third door on the right, to the time room. After you have crossed that, you will enter the hall of prophecies. The hall itself exists of towering shelves with blue, dusty orbs. The owner of a prophecy will be able to take it, after which the prophecy will be heard…"

"Thank you, that will be all… you have helped me greatly… once I have retrieved this prophecy, you will be rewarded."

"Thank you, my Lord." Rookwood said with another bow. "Oh, as far as I know, the elevator key is held within the office of the Minister of Magic himself."

"That is good to know. Well, I bid you goodnight."

"Goodnight, my lord." Rookwood said, getting up to open the door.

* * *

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies ..._"

Stunned, the Dark Lord put the prophecy back on the shelf and sat down on the ground, taking a deep breath. Either must die at the hand of the other… neither can live while the other survives... Why? Why did fate curse them, yet again? And what power did the prophecy speak of? Before, he would have thought love, but that couldn't be correct. He'd felt love, knew what it was… what then?

He decided it would be suspicious to take the prophecy with him, so he put his wand against his head and extracted the memory of the prophecy for Harry. He contemplated about not telling his lover, but he knew he couldn't betray the teen like that. They would find a solution together. His mind worked at top speed to try and grasp all the angles in which the prophecy could be looked at. Yes, vanquish was unclear, but die? And yet, he had died, thirteen years ago. He'd come back, but he had died. Could it be true, that this prophecy only referred to the event which had happened already? He couldn't have lived while Harry survived back then, for he would have constantly been eating himself up over the fact that there was someone in the world who had the power to vanquish him. Harry couldn't have truly lived either, for he'd have been cooped up in a house, hidden away. He would have grown up in confinement with the knowledge that there was someone out there for his life…

The Dark lord relaxed again and leaned back, his head resting on the shelves. A self-fulfilling prophecy? A prophecy which came true because the prophecy had been made? Yes, if it had never been made, he would never have hunted Harry down, would never have marked him… They wouldn't even have this dilemma. However, even if it could be explained as passed already, there was a small chance that it was still active. Would it be broken if they chose to not act upon it? He didn't know nearly enough about prophecies. Once he'd heard it, he'd hunted Harry down, and he wasn't back for that long now. Because of to the war and other happenings, he had neglected to look more into it. Maybe Dumbledore knew… or suspected. Which, with Dumbledore, was practically the same.

He forced himself to think logically about it, without what if's… He lived now, Harry lived now, they were quite happy together, and neither felt any desire to kill the other. So one sentence of the prophecy wasn't true right now. The other sentences spoke of things which already happened, except the one about the power that he knew not. And even that… when killing Harry back then, he had suppressed his feelings and was hungry for power, totally consumed by it. Spending thirteen years as a spirit tampered his madness somewhat, caused him to see other people in a different perspective and also shone another light on his past actions and feelings. Perhaps that had been why his emotions had resurfaced when he had been resurrected… And if that was true, then indeed, Harry had held love, a power he knew not of back then. He did now, so in that regard as well, the prophecy was incorrect regarding this time.

It felt like a weight lifted from his chest, and he was able to properly breathe again. So it had passed already, and wasn't of consequence anymore. They were free to do whatever they wanted to right now.

* * *

"Come on, hurry up!" Harry said in a frantic voice. He could hardly conceal his excitement. Their next lesson was transfiguration, and Marvolo had promised to be there…

"What is it with you?" Ron complained, trying to keep up with him.

"He's coming today." He grinned, not able to wait any longer to tell them.

"Who?" Hermione asked.

"My boyfriend…" Harry said, and Hermione gave him a surprised look.

"I thought you didn't want to tell us more about him?"

"Yeah, well, he decided that what we get taught here is appalling and seriously lacking information, so he's going to tell McGonagall how she should teach." Harry grinned, already looking forward to the situation that would produce. Hermione apparently had the same in mind, though on her face, horror dawned.

"He is going to do** what**?"

"Gamp's law of blahblah something… he showed me that it was incorrect, so he's going to show McGonagall why it is incorrect as well."

"Gamp's law of elemental transfiguration is** not** incorrect!" the girl gasped.

"Then explain me how he created food from nothing and ate it afterwards?"

"He created… food? Prepared food?"

"Bread, yeah. It looked delicious as well."

"But… it must've been a trick… surely…" the witch said with a confused look. Harry gave her an irritated shrug. It was just like with Luna's magical creatures. Hermione never believed something that wasn't written in school books.

"What's his name, anyways?" Ron asked, and Harry was glad that his friend had gotten over the fact that Harry was gay.

"Thanos."

"Weird name."

"He's weird as well." Harry chuckled.

"Who's weird?" A smooth voice said, a second before a pair of arms came around Harry. The teen looked up and pressed a brief kiss to Marvolo's cheek.

"Hey Than."

"What did I tell you about nicknames?" the man huffed, his teal eyes sparkling. No doubt, he loved to be able to kiss Harry in front of Harry's friends without them knowing a thing about his real identity. He looked at Ron and Hermione, and both times, the teen saw his eyes darken for a moment before turning back to his cheerful mood.

"To not make up nicknames for you? But come one, 'Than' is better than the others I came up with, right?"

"You insufferable…" Marvolo grumbled.

"So, are you ready to be killed by McGonagall because you dared question her knowledge?"

"Absolutely." Marvolo said with a half-crooked smirk than was to die for.

"You're in a good mood today." Harry said, turning around to face his lover.

"Well, a certain** prediction** turned out to have come true already… and thus is nothing to worry about anymore…" the man murmured, giving a smile and a small nod when Harry's eyes widened. "Now, won't you introduce me to your friends?"

"Yeah, of course. Than, this are Ron and Hermione. Guys, this is Thanos, my boyfriend." Harry replied with a dazed look, still trying to comprehend what Marvolo had said. The prophecy had come true already? It wouldn't influence their lives further? A smile slowly spread on his face as he leaned against his lover.

"Well yes, I believe that we figured out the last already with the hugging and kisses…" Hermione said, getting the same fangirl-like look like the one she had on the train. "Thanos… can I call you Thanos?"

"If I can call you Hermione…"

"Sure, sure… hm, how should I put this? Harry said that you… **broke** the law of elemental transfiguration…"

"I didn't** break** it. The one who made the law up marked the boundaries of his own magic as the law… if you can't perform a spell, that does not necessarily mean that others can't. Even if the majority of people cannot do something, it doesn't mean that it is impossible… magic has no boundaries."

"Magic cannot retrieve people from the dead." Hermione frowned.

"Oh yes it can…" Marvolo said, and Harry remembered the tale of the resurrection stone. "Of course, the question is whether the dead **want** to live again, but it **is** possible to call them back. Necromancers have been trying for millennia, and some even succeeded… But enough of the dead… it is such an unpleasant topic. Your class is about to start."

Whispers broke out when they entered, but Marvolo just gave them a haughty look and ignored the rest in favor of turning to professor McGonagall. Harry and his friends quickly sat down on their seats and watched the man with fascination.

"Good afternoon." He simply said, and their teacher raised an eyebrow.

"I beg you pardon, mister…"

"Du Fuga. Thanos du Fuga." Marvolo replied, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.

"Mister du Fuga, unless you have a good reason for your presence, I will ask you to leave, for my class is about to start." McGonagall said, obviously puzzled why there was a stranger in her classroom.

"Actually, I **do** have a good reason for being here. I would like to ask you why these children are taught… lies."

"What the hell is he talking about?" Dean muttered behind Harry.

Professor McGonagall stuttered before composing herself. "That is a grave accusation, sir. Would you care to explain?"

"Naturally. I was helping a student of yours with his homework, and I noticed that you require your pupils to learn the **boundaries** of magic, while magic has no limitations but the power of the caster."

"This is about Gamp's law?" the witch said, sitting down and folding her hands. "Excuse me, sir, but that law has been proven again and again. There are certain things that magic cannot make from nothing."

"Allow me to show you then…" the Dark Lord said, and narrowed his eyes at an empty spot on her desk. A few minutes of absolute silence later, after which nothing had happened, the professor began to say something in a scoffing tone, but Hermione of all people made a shushing sound. When opening her mouth the reprimand the girl, she gasped, for a lump of something brown appeared on her desk. Marvolo relaxed and let his breath escape before approaching the desk and picking the thing up.

"What is…"

"Food… a bit deformed, I must admit, but it is chocolate nonetheless… care to have a taste?"

"Chocolate…" the professor said with wide eyes. "You created prepared food out of nothing?"

"Exactly." Marvolo said on a smug tone.

"H… how?" Parkinson asked in an awed voice.

"Harry, did you write it down yesterday?"

"Too lazy to tell it again?" Harry smirked, and got a glare in return. "Don't fret, I have it here." He said, throwing his lover a roll of parchment. Marvolo caught it and handed it to McGonagall, who frowned and read it.

"This… I have to study this." The witch said, appearing distraught. "This indeed sounds very… reasonable. That is not to say of the **handwriting**." She said in a snappy tone, and Harry tried to look guilty. "Potter, I told you to do something about that incomprehensible scribbling of yours…"

"I'm sorry professor." Harry mumbled.

"Well, I guess that this means that I won't have to collect the essays anymore." –Hermione groaned- "That does not mean, however, that the ones who didn't make their homework will be let off lightly…" –the rest of the class groaned- "Now, I will postpone the lesson about Gamp's law till Friday. Today, we will begin to study the usage of spells that give an object a quality of another. We will begin with a simple charm to make an object slippery, and the practical uses of such a spell. Page 3, please." She said, and again raised an eyebrow at Marvolo.

"Mister du Fuga…"

"I would like to stay and observe, with your permission… a bit of nostalgia, if you will."

"Ah, I see. Feel free to watch. I can hear that you are not from around?"

"No, I was born and raised in Italy and only moved here a few years ago."

"Ah, I already wondered why you were so familiar…" McGonagall said, looking like she suddenly remembered something. "Don't you own the apothecary in Hogsmeade?"

"Yes Madam, I didn't know my humble shop was well-known…" Marvolo said, inclining his head a bit to hide a smirk.

"Ah well, I... CRABBE, DON'T YOU **DARE**." She suddenly boomed, and Crabbe jumped, dropping the wand which he had had pointed at Parvati, causing a stream of blue, sizzling mud to stream over the floor instead of flying through the air and hitting the girl, who watched the mud with a pale face. "Thirty points from Slytherin and detention with Mr Senka! How dare you try to perform such a dangerous spell on another student! Be sure that your parents will hear of this! Now, get out of my classroom!"

Someone shrieked as the mud spread out and connected with a table leg, setting the table on fire. Immediately, Marvolo shot forward, pointing his wand at the flame. "_**Ishextiung**_" he said, and it looked like the flame crept back off the surface. "_**Evanesco.**_" The mud disappeared, leaving only a singe where it had been on the stone floor. "Thank Zoroaster that the floor isn't made of wood, or else we'd have faced a disaster…" he grumbled, and Harry wondered who this Zoro person was. An image of a tv-show Dudley used to watch flashed before his eyes.

"Thank you for acting so quickly, Mr du Fuga…"

"No problem at all… I do hope though that that boy will be properly put into place. Someone could have gotten harmed!" If Harry hadn't known who exactly 'Thanos' really was, he would have believed those words… now, he just knew that Marvolo was instead mentally laughing his ass off.

"I will make sure of it." McGonagall said. "Now, back to your seats, all of you. We will continue the lesson."

* * *

The school bell rang and Harry practically jumped off his seat. Apart from the beginning, the lesson had been absolutely boring. Why in the name of Merlin would you want to have a slippery object? Well, he guessed it could be fun to ice the floor over so the Slytherins would slip and fall, but other than that? He sighed and hugged Marvolo, for a moment forgetting that the other students could still see them. "Who is this Zoroaster?" he asked, humming when fingers began to scratch at his scalp. He closed his eyes, therefore not seeing how Draco Malfoy suddenly paled and widened his eyes while watching them.

"The Merlin of Persia, ancient Greek and also the Roman Empire. A Light Lord. Strangely enough, his philosophy has become a **Muggle** religion… he only became well-known by the Greek and Romans long after his death though."

"Really? That's interesting… why would they follow a wizard?"

"Loads of Muggles thought that it was only a rumor that he was a wizard and once he died, only his visions were spread, not his magic."

"Let me guess, the Du Fuga family worships him? You're getting far too much in character…" Harry mumbled, so softly that none but Marvolo would hear him. The man chuckled, his breath pleasantly tickling Harry's ear.

"Not exactly. 'My' family worships Ostanes, who was a Dark Lord. He was a descendant of Zoroaster, but wanted to study more than he was allowed to. He was the first who fought for the rights of freely performing magic. But I think that I should save this tale for another time, when there are less people around who wouldn't agree with my beliefs." He whispered.

Harry understood and nodded, loosening his grip on his lover. "I won't be able to see you this evening, for I have detention, but tomorrow, I can be there, okay?"

"I'll look forward to you. We have much to discuss." Marvolo smiled, and caught Harry's lips. The teen surrendered to the feeling for a few minutes until he noticed that the classroom was empty, apart from his professor, who was ignoring them, but had a small smile on her face. "Now, I think you have to attend your next class." The Dark Lord said, taking Harry's hand and pulling him out of the room. "There will be someone waiting for you tomorrow though… he's been looking forward to talking to you."

"Who?"

"A surprise…" Marvolo smiled, and even Harry's pout could not persuade him to tell Harry who it was.

* * *

"Ah, Mr Potter… I am so glad that you could make it on time…" the woman said with a false smile that had Harry's neck hairs rising.

"Professor Umbridge…" he answered her, and then hesitated, not knowing what was expected of him. Marvolo had told him that this woman could be cruel, but so far, he didn't see any torture devices. Then again, he'd seen enough magic to know that one didn't need an iron maiden to create pain.

"So, I hope that after tonight you will have learned your lesson, so that it won't be necessary for you to return here. Now, you are going to be doing some lines for me, Mr Potter. No, not with your own quill… here, I'll give you one of mine…"

At seeing the gleam in her eyes, he gulped and looked down at the quill in suspicion. He dropped his bag next to the chair and sat down, staring at the blank parchment that lay on top of the desk.

"I want you to write 'I must not tell lies.'" She simply said and leaned back into the chair with a look of utter satisfaction that told Harry that there was more to this than met the eye.

"How many times?"

"Until it… sinks in." she answered. "begin."

"I don't have any ink."

"Oh, but you won't be needing any ink, Mr Potter…"

With a frown, he started to write, gasping as a searing pain shot through his hand at the same time bright red letters appeared… blood-red. He stared at the back of his hand in horror, where the words that had been carved in quickly disappeared. This was dark magic, very dark and used improperly… Even with the pain still lingering, he smiled grimly, knowing that, once Marvolo got wind of this, nothing would be left of this woman. He guessed he would just have to pull himself through this for an evening, and proceeded to write, trying to ignore the pain in his hand which reminded him so much of the Dursleys... But no, the Dursley's had been far worse. At least this quill didn't mentally tear him down as well. It only hurt him physically, and he was quite used to that. Too used to that.

He ignored the delight in Umbridge's eyes, and wouldn't give her the pleasure of showing her how it affected him. Instead, he wrote line after line, carving it into his own skin until the words didn't disappear anymore, but instead got deeper and deeper. It came to his mind that he could slow his writing down so he would have to write less, but in the end, his stubbornness won over, knowing that she would see it as weakness and surrender on his side. So instead he wrote on and on, willing tears away that gathered in the corner of his eyes and suppressing the trembling of his hands. When at last, she told him to stop and sent him away after studying his hand, only one thought crossed his mind.

_You will pay_

* * *

Read and Review!

xx GeMerope


	17. Part I Chapter XVII

"She did** what**?" Marvolo roared, glaring at the back of Harry's hand, clenching a fist as if it was itching to wrap itself around Umbridge's throat and squeeze.

"She had this quill…"

"Bloodquills." The Dark Lord spat. "I will kill her."

"Can you?"

"Are you doubting that?" Marvolo scoffed, looking at Harry with a raised eyebrow.

"I know you** can**. I meant, won't she be missed?"

"I don't care." The man said, fingering his wand. "She hurt you, and thus, gruesome torture will be her punishment, after which I will murder her. I'll make something up… Besides, Hogwarts is better off without her. From what you told me, she is a horrible teacher as well."

"Yes she is, but she was following the orders of the Ministry. They'll just send someone else."

"From what I gathered, Fudge himself sent her. I have many people who work close with him. I already smuggled two Defense professors in here the last… four years."

"And Umbridge's death will just remain unnoticed and entirely unsuspicious?"

Marvolo began to pace, trying to think of a solution. Harry watched his expressions with interest, until the man's head suddenly shot up. "She hates half-bloods. There are centaurs in the forbidden forest. They wouldn't take it lightly if someone tried to insult their intelligence… what if, hypothetically spoken of course, she might have come across a bunch of them, offended them and got dragged away and killed?"

"Hagrid often speaks with the centaurs… if he asks… Oh wait, you had a truce with a couple of centaur tribes, right?"

"Indeed. They will tell Hagrid and Dumbledore whatever I want them to."

"Can I come with you then? I want to see her going down. Plus, I also want her to see that I did** not** lie."

"As I said, there will be torture… very gruesome torture…"

"Exactly. That's why I want to look." Harry said, a sly grin on his face, and Marvolo licked his lips.

"Perhaps I can give you your first lesson…" he said. "We'll go in a couple of hours, when the rest of the castle is asleep. Now, come here, I want to kiss you."

The teen laughed and dragged Marvolo to the bed, pushed him down and sat on his lover's chest, one leg to each side. He lowered his head and closed his eyes when their lips met. Just as he slipped a hand under Marvolo's robe however, he heard an annoyed, hissing voice from the floor.

~Can't you do that somewhere in private? I'm trying to sleep here…~

~Nagini… this is** my** room.~ the man answered her, glaring at the snake, who gave a hiss that sounded very disapproving.

~Hey Nagini. Long time no see~ Harry said cheerfully, reaching out to scratch the scales on her head. Nagini nudged his hand with her snout and licked one of his fingers.

~You smell like blood. Did someone hurt you?~

~Yes.~ Harry answered

~I trust Marvolo wants to take… **care** of that person?~ she asked when seeing the murderous gleam that had returned again in the Dark lord's eyes.

~Oh, I will…~ he softly answered.

~Harry? There's someone who wants to talk to you… do you remember my brother?~

~That boa constrictor from the zoo? Yes, is he here then?~

~Yesss… It's good to see you again, amigo.~ someone else said, and a giant snake entered the room, Marvolo grumbled something about a lack of privacy and too many nosy snakes in his home before he shooed Harry off of him and got up.

~Good to see you too… What is your name now? Nagini told me that you constantly changed it. ~

~Arzón. I think that this time, I'll stick to it.~

~You always say that~ Nagini said, smiling.

~So, I heard from your sister that going to Brazil didn't really work out?~

~No, too far…~ The snake said sadly. So I'll just stay here. I have trouble finding company though. Most humans and animals, including other snakes, move out of the way when they see me. I can stay with Nagini and her wizard right now, but he said that I can't stay.~

~Why not?~

~Because one of them already makes me crazy, let alone two!~ Marvolo said from the other side of the curtain that separated the bedroom from the living room.

~I'd volunteer, but I'm not allowed to have a snake at Hogwarts. ~ Harry said, petting the head of Arzón.

"There's no rule against it." he heard, and he looked up, seeing that Marvolo had come in again, a glass of firewhisky in his hands.

"There's not?" Harry said, surprised.

~Keep it in parseltongue please.~ Nagini said, annoyed

~Sorry, I can't yet differ English and Parsel. I can only speak it when you speak in Parsel to me. I don't hear the difference yet though.~

~Isn't it a complete other language?~ Arzón asked, surprised.

~It works a bit strangely.~ Harry huffed. ~Anyway, Marvolo, what do you mean that it isn't forbidden? On the letter it said cat, toad or owl.~

~And haven't you seen people with other pets? Rats, frogs, snails, dogs, spiders… they just don't explicitly say it, so that people won't bring the strangest creatures here. But only animals that are too dangerous are forbidden. As long as you can keep Arzón under control, you can keep him as a familiar.~

~Won't Dumbledore be suspicious though?~

~Not if you explain your noble deed when you freed him. He'll probably won't like it, but he can't say anything about it either. Where'll you keep him though?~

~If it's not forbidden I can keep him in Gryffindor tower, in the boy's dorms. I think that all of the guys will just think it cool. And if not, I'll ask Fred and George to take him in. They and their friend Leo will **adore** him.~ Harry smirked.

~So... I can stay?~ Arzón asked

~On one condition.~ Harry said, putting up a very grave face.

~hmm?~

~That you and Nagini leave this room this instant.~

~Oh Circe… **rabbits.**~ Nagini sighed, looking like she was rolling her eyes. As gracefully as she could, she slithered out of the room, followed by Arzón.~

~Have fun.~ The boa constrictor said with a hissing laugh before disappearing.

* * *

Dolores woke up from a voice. She stayed in bed with her eyes closed while she came to awareness.

"She's asleep?" someone whispered. She didn't know who it was, or even if it was a student or a teacher… that was the problem with whispers. The voice could never be identified… Still, she began to doubt that statement when hearing a second voice, as the whisper was spoken with such coldness that she would be able to recognise it anywhere if she were ever to hear it again. She could not imagine anyone in the castle with that voice.

"Not for long. But then again, she soon will be again, forever."

Dolores' eyes shot open at that and her hand sought her wand on the nightstand. Gripping the wood, she slowly sat upright.

"Who's there? Show yourselves!" she commanded, but she couldn't help that a panicked tone entered the words.

"_**Silencio**_."

She tried to shriek, but no sound came out, and with nonverbal magic, she lit the room. The moment after that, she wished she hadn't, for she stared death in the face. She couldn't avert her stare from the thing before her… was it a ghost? An evil spirit who haunted her? But no, when he came closer, she heard his feet hit thud on the floor, and the wand he pointed at her throat was very real as well.

"Get up."

She couldn't agree on what she found creepier, his whispered words or the ones spoken out loud. She tried to speak again, demand who he was, what he was doing here, and that he should leave, but nothing was said, and a claw-like hand gripped her arm and hauled her out of bed. She staggered to her feet, almost falling down in shock. She didn't understand what was happening, or who the one in front of her was. When she finally had the guts to look away from those blazing red eyes however, she saw the second person, who was leaning against the wall with a blank expression.

"Potter!" she spat, and then blinked, finding out that she could speak again.

"Not going to scream anymore?" the boy said, a smirk flashing across his face all of a sudden.

"What are you doing out of bed?" she said, before realising how ridiculous those words must sound, but well, order and rules were all she knew, all she could rely on, nothing else. The boy blinked, apparently taken aback, but then he let out a huff.

"Strange. I would've thought that you'd be more impressed. More… terrified. Marvolo, did you lose your touch?"

"Never, you brat." The man said, sounding annoyed. Dolores thought that his name absolutely didn't fit him… he should have a far worse name, something like…

"Lord Voldemort** never** loses his touch." It was growled, now.

"Speaking about yourself in third person? You know that that is a bad sign, no? Beginning madness and stuff…"

"Madness… wouldn't you know all about that, hmm?"

"It's not** my** fault that I got detached back then."

"And killed one of my followers… not that it was such a great loss. But what if there had been other people in that room? I find myself wondering if they would have survived."

"It was** her** fault, and could we switch subjects? I thought you took me here to punish her, not let her grow tired of our bantering."

"Maybe I** am** losing touch." The man muttered, nearly inaudible.

Dolores swallowed and only noticed now that she was near hyperventilating. It couldn't be true, despite the man admitting it himself, it couldn't be true. "Is this one of your tricks again Potter?" she said, her voice high in fear. She backed away to the wall, wishing she could disappear through it. "Something to make me believe you were speaking the truth? It's not working, and I believe that you should get another detention tomorrow! I—" she gasped as her voice was cut off again.

"Actually, I** was** speaking the truth. Not that it matters a lot now anyways. You shouldn't have hurt me however. Now you've angered him." The boy said matter-of-factly, with just a hint of sadism lacing his voice.

Ropes appeared out of nowhere and she was bound by them. She looked up, and even though she wanted to believe it was a lie, she couldn't get around the fact that there was a man here who claimed to be Lord Voldemort, and, if she remembered the description right, he looked the same as what she'd been told thirteen years ago by a colleague who had seen him… a few minutes before he had died as a result of a curse that was cast by the Dark lord himself. Dark Lord… it seemed silly to call him You-Know-Who if said man was in front of her, and when a red light struck her without warning, leaving only pain, she knew it for sure. It was hell that she wasn't able to scream, but by Merlin, did she try. Her nerves were on fire, but she was still aware of her surroundings to a degree, still aware of what was happening and who was doing this to her, with a smile on his face. She knew that she would die tonight, without knowing the answer to her questions, without even knowing the crime she had committed to deserve this.

When the pain stopped for a moment, she remembered that the boy had said that it was because she'd hurt him, but that was plain ridiculous. And yet here they were, Harry Potter and his archenemy Lord Voldemort, side by side, one of them torturing her, the other watching, now with curiousity. She wanted to curse, to scream for help, to free herself and scratch that face open.

She'd always hated children…

* * *

"Not very inventive…"

"But most effective."

Harry couldn't disagree on that, and fingered his wand as the woman's eyes bulged out, looking at him. "Do you think that she has even realised that you really are you?"

"Does it matter? I just want her dead."

"It does. I don't like being called a liar."

"Don't pout love." Marvolo smiled as Harry whined that he **wasn't** pouting. He turned back to the small woman, who was trying to catch her breath. "And she does realise who I am. I cast the Cruciatus curse in such a way that pain would not be all that was left. She is still aware, even through the pain. As I told you before, there are levels of pain, and the Cruciatus curse is just a way to stimulate nerves. I can choose which nerves, and leave her brain undamaged."

"And I still won't let you cast it on me, no matter how much you want to."

"Ah, but my dear, I can give you** so** much pleasure with it…" he grinned, his eyes lighting up. He pondered on just catching Harry by surprise sometime and cast it anyway. He knew that the teen would forgive him once experiencing **that**."

"No."

Marvolo hissed at the flat comment, trying to get his attention from Harry to his victim again. Damn it, he really** was** losing his touch. It was much more fun teasing his lover than it was to torture some woman. But no, this was not** just some woman**, he corrected himself. This was someone who had hurt** his** Harry, and thus, revenge had to be carried out.

"Fine then, I'll show you something more creative." he said, flashing a grin. "_**Serpensortia." **_he said, and a large, brilliant green snake slithered over the floor.

"A snake?" Harry asked.

"Just for preparation… _**~Skin on skin~**_" He watched with growing malice how the snake wound around her, and looked like it was melting, until the whole skin of the woman was covered in green scales.

"Emotional torture?" his lover asked, obviously amused. "Because she hates half-bloods?"

Marvolo laughed. "Good one, but no, that was not my intention. You see, snake skin has a very peculiar trait. Like with other reptiles, it can be shed. Human skin, of course, cannot, because we do not have another layer under that."

"So?"

"Firstly, I'll put up a silencing barrier. It is getting annoying that she can't scream…" Marvolo waved his wand around the room, and for a moment, the air seemed to tremble before going back to normal. Another wave, and they heard a few sobbing sounds coming from Umbridge.

~_**Shed the scales~**_ he hissed, and he loved the scream he tore from her throat, like her skin, which was ripped away as the snake skin was shed. Dark magic rose within him, leaving a giddy feeling, and he knew that soon, he would be lost in it if he wasn't careful. It was so hard to not give into the call though… From the corner of his eyes he saw Harry come closer, and he knew that the teen could feel it as well.

"This magic…. is amazing." Harry gasped, hands twitching to grasp it.

"No… **this **is." The Dark Lord said, and placed his palms on Harry's head, using the contact to let the magic flow into his lover. Harry moaned and for a moment, his eyes turned completely black.

"More." The teen demanded.

"You can make it yourself." Marvolo said, throwing a purple flash at his victim, which would let her intestines rot, very slowly, but enough to be deadly in a couple of hours. Whatever they would do to her now, her fate was sealed. She wouldn't live through the night. "Now… your turn, my little Salazar." He purred before cupping Harry's face with both of his hands, his fingertips brushing the cheekbones. He pressed a rather possessive kiss to those pink lips and drew back. "Try a Cruciatus curse, my love."

Harry raised his wand, and Marvolo knew that he would get it right on his first try. He was too far taken by the darkness already to fail. He remembered the first time he'd experienced this, and he could say with certainty that every trace of humanity was gone at this moment in Harry's mind.

"Do it."

"_**Crucio!"**_

And as laughter and screams mingled, the rest of the humans in the castle slept, completely unaware of anything that happened. That is, all except one.

* * *

When he'd first seen the boy, his… **project**, he'd thought it was a bit of a nuisance. Not worth his time, just another child. He was seriously reconsidering his opinion now. After having followed Potter to his detention and seeing how completely stubborn he'd been while getting tortured by that bitch, he'd found out that the teen had character and bravery. **Now**, after seeing what Potter was capable off, he saw the potential, the sheer power that lay hidden behind those striking green eyes.

He hadn't been able to see everything well from the place where he had sat –or hung, in fact, at the outer wall of the castle.- The lack of light had not been a problem for his well-trained eyes, but even in the shadows, he had seen the rapture in those eyes as Potter indulged in the darkness, as he delighted in the pain he inflicted. And then there was, of course, the Dark Lord, and Eyolf was very, **very** glad for the choice he had made, more than thirty years ago, to be with him instead of against him. He doubted that he would be alive now if he'd chosen otherwise. Still, whatever could have shocked him, the spells used, the magic, the screams –he had been within the range of the silencing barrier-, the thing that left him frozen was the revelation of tonight. The Dark Lord and Harry Potter were lovers…

Whatever possessed the boy to get together with someone as dangerous as Voldemort, Eyolf couldn't understand, but the sole fact that he **had** made the assassin shudder. Potter appeared to have more guts than he'd ever thought possible. On the other hand, he wondered why Voldemort would take the boy as his lover. To do so only because it would ensure that Potter remained at his side was a bit far-fetched, but then again, the Dark Lord never had been to most predictable of men. The image of the man roughly kissing the teen multiple times and the words of endearment casually thrown back and forth between them while they were torturing another human was plain sickening to him, and he'd seen bad things in his life. Eyolf chuckled darkly, remembering the favourite sentence of Voldemort. If the evilness of magic depended on how it was used, then the Dark Lord was evil himself. Or could be, at least.

He wondered if their relationship was a secret, and if not, who knew of it… he guessed that he had to find that out soon. Suddenly, he thought of the first night he'd followed Potter, and he ridiculed his own naivety when he had tried to come up with a reason for them to have their meeting in a bathroom… Now he reflected on it, he didn't think they did much talking…

"Harry Potter…" he muttered. "Just who are you?"

* * *

"George?"

"Hmm?" the other boy asked, rolling on his side to look at his brother who lay in the bed next to him, a few yards away.

"You know, it's about Harry…"

"Shh, come here, I don't want the others to wake up." Fred snuck out of bed, and sat down next to where George lay. "Now, what is it about Harry?"

"I just wondered how… involved he really is. With the dark, I mean. Do you really think that he can get us an audience with the Dark Lord?"

"I don't know." George admitted, and pulled Fred down so that the teen's head was on his stomach. While playing with strands of hair, he sighed deeply. "I hope he can. Shall we seek him out tomorrow?"

"He's always hard to find though. It might be better if we wait till Friday. We'll see him during Quidditch practice. We can ask afterwards, okay?"

"Fine." George yawned. "And then we can write a letter to Charlie and Bill after that. Hey, have any test subjects shown up yet? For the products?"

"Yes, a couple of first years. I'm still thinking about what Harry said though, about the purple halves."

"But to test that, we'd have to get test subjects who are ill. There's no way that we can sneak into the hospital wing. If Madam Pomfrey discovers us, we're dead."

"Hmm-mm." Fred said, and George smiled.

"You're not listening to me, are you?"

"Hmm? Oh, sorry, what'ya say?"

"Hey, stop spacing out." George huffed, slapping his brother softly on the head, who grumbled and lifted his head to look at him.

"It's your fault."

"**How**?"

"You're distracting me."

"Again,** how**? I don't… Fred?" George said with uncertainty as Fred propped himself up on his elbows and leaned closer so his breath tickled the other's face. He felt his heart speed up as a hand was placed at his chest, softly stroking it. In the moonlight, he could see his brother's brown eyes, where hesitation, fear and determination mingled.

"Georgie…" he breathed, and leaned even closer, placing his lips against his brothers cheek once, and then pulled back to see George's reaction. Said teen froze and closed his eyes, not knowing what to do. "George? I'm sorry, I didn't know… Please don't be mad." He heard, and he opened his eyes, seeing Fred, who had scrambled off him and was looking at him with panic. "I didn't mean to…"

Before the other was out of reach, George sat up and grabbed his brothers arm, pulling him back on the bed. He roughly tugged at Fred's hair and crashed their mouths together. Both of them gasped at the feeling before devouring each other again.

"Fred…" George moaned, rolling on top and pinning his twin down. He sat up and gazed down at the other for a few seconds, brushing the hair out of Fred's face. Years ago, he'd noticed that he began to like Fred in another way. A way that wasn't…proper, and ever since, he'd tried to suppress his emotions. And now…

"You're not mad?" he heard in a whisper, and gave brother an incredulous look.

"No. I'm not mad." He chuckled, tracing his twin's neck. "Since when?"

"As long as I can remember…" Fred mumbled, closing his eyes and shivering under the touches. "but I really know for sure since a few years."

"Why tonight?"

"I don't know." His brother mumbled. "I just felt… something. We're at a new start… I figured that now would be a good moment. Whatever your answer is…"

"Didn't I already answer?" George asked, surprised.

"Not yet. Georgie… do you love me?"

"You know I do."

"love-love?"

George snorted at the term. "What are you, a schoolgirl with a crush?"

"Schoolgirl: no, crush: yes." Fred answered, grinning as well.

"Yes. Love-love, if you want to put it like that. I'd never have thought that you felt the same though… I mean, normally I practically know everything you're thinking… but I never saw a sign..."

"Same for me, so I finally decided to just go for it." his brother said with a wolfish grin, and reached out to wrap his arms around his brother.

"This will be difficult."

"Yes, it will be." Fred said solemnly, biting his lip. "Mom's not going to be happy."

"Oh my, talking with the Dark lord will be a piece of cake after we talk to her." George joked.

"**If** we survive."

"Hmm, best speak with him first then. Good for practice."

"Georgie?"

George smiled and leaned down in answer to the unspoken question, kissing his brother again.

* * *

A girl sat at the edge of the lake, looking up to the nearly full moon. The night sounds of the forest behind her didn't scare her at all anymore… No wait, they didn't scare her, period. Never had either. She lay down on her back with spread arms and smiled at the sky, with its twinkling stars.

_Somehow I know, I was never alone,  
somehow I know, my angel, you're there.  
Watching me, guarding me,  
I'm always in your care._

_And now as I'm here, underneath the open air,  
I can finally catch, a glimpse of your hair,  
Your eyes and your smile, your fluttering wings,  
All of those things…_

_They warm my heart,_  
_but it's all bitter smart,_

_For somehow I know,  
even though I'm not alone,  
I'll never be shown,  
More than that, a glimpse from so far away…  
while staring at the milky way…_

"Isn't it a bit late to be out here? The forest can be quite dangerous." A voice behind her said, and Luna saw a man who bowed over her with an amused smirk.

"I like the forest." She simply said, and smiled dreamily. "You know, you smell of Harry… do you know Harry?"

The man quirked an eyebrow. "And how would you know how Harry smells?"

"He's one of my few friends. You should know how your friends smell, right? So that if it is dark and quiet, you can still recognise them, right?"

"Who are you, girl?"

"Luna. Luna Lovegood."

"My name is Thanos. Thanos du Fuga. I'm Harry's lover."

Luna frowned and sat up. After thinking for a second, she dug up a feather and a piece of parchment from the pocket of her robe and held it out to him. "Could you please write something down? Your name or so."

Obviously taken aback a bit, the man wrote something down and handed it back again. After casting a glance at it, Luna beamed and patted the grass next to her. "You are the one who wrote the research of magical creatures!" she stated. "And you're the Dark Lord!"

The man, who had nodded at the first, froze and looked at her as if he tried to burn a hole in her head.

"**What**?" he said in a low voice.

"You're the Dark lord… I recognise your writing." She said.

* * *

After Umbridge was so far gone that she couldn't even scream anymore, Marvolo ended her life with a quick slash to her neck. Harry staggered back and yawned, cuddling up to him when he hit the chest behind him.

"What will you do with the body?"

"I'll give it to the centaurs. I'm sure they'd like to have it. She tried to make it legal for them to be locked up in stables…"

"You'll go now?"

"I'll first bring you to bed, and then I'll go."

"Nah, I'll find my way. Can I help with cleaning up?"

"No need, just get some sleep. You have school tomorrow."

His boyfriend nodded and yawned again before leaving the room. Marvolo magically vanished the blood on the walls and floor, and then grabbed the body and flew out of the window to the ground, careful that no blood was spilled on the grass which could leave a trail.

He found the centaurs quickly. He'd often spent time with the herd in his younger years, and he'd learned a lot from them. He probably was the only person alive who had any knowledge of centaur magic. Not that he told others that. He'd promised them to keep it a secret, and he always kept his word, so he did not brag about it. He waited for them in a clearing and dropped the body of the woman on the forest ground.

Muffled clop announced their arrival, and he put his wand away, knowing that it wouldn't do to look hostile. He turned when hearing rustling behind him, and a large, chestnut centaur stood before him.

"Mars is clear tonight, isn't it?" he said in a greeting, and the centaur looked up to the sky with a musing expression.

"Yes… blood of enemies must have been shed."

"That is why I came here, to offer you an enemy."

The dark eyes focused on him and the centaur came closer with a slow tread. "Ah, now I understand my dreams… I already wondered why you would return to us after so many years. We accept the gift, and will help you with whatever you need."

"Tell Dumbledore that she came here, insulted the herd, and was killed."

"I have seen a future, quite different from this one, where you did not bring this body. However, she came here on her own, bringing two foals with her. She indeed insulted us, and would have been killed if the old fool who lives in the castle had not stopped us. We will do as you ask, if only because it would have happened either way."

"Thank you, I am in your debt." Marvolo spoke, bowing in respect. "Again." He added, smiling ruefully .

"The day that your debt will be paid is near, do not worry about that. About the other thing you came for, the answer is that we will support you, if it means that you will respect our laws and that, once you rule your kind, you will let us rule** our** kind."

"That is what I had in mind."

"Good. Now, leave the forest, but before you return to the castle, go to the edge of the lake, where three old willow trees hang over the water. Do you remember the place?"

"How could I not? I will do as you say."

"May the stars watch over you."

"And over you and your herd."

Marvolo turned and walked back, taking a different path this time to find his way to the lake. He didn't need to walk for a long time though, and he heard a girl's voice sing a sad song. Morphing back into the form he'd used during the day, he approached the girl, wondering why the centaur had sent him here.

"Isn't it a bit late to be out here? The forest can be quite dangerous." He said, surprised when she didn't yelp or gave any other sign of being startled.

"I like the forest. You know, you smell of Harry… do you know Harry?" Taking aback, he wondered if she was joking, but she couldn't be. He hadn't seen her before, so she would not know that Harry was his lover. One thing about her phrase disturbed him even more though.

"And how would you know how Harry smells?" he said, trying to keep his tone neutral. If this was a girl with some crush on** his** Harry, then she too wouldn't live long…

"He's one of my few friends. You should know how your friends smell, right? So that if it is dark and quiet, you can still recognise them, right?"

It wasn't exactly the answer he'd expected, so instead of replying to her questions, which sounded rhetorical anyways, he asked: "Who are you, girl?"

"Luna. Luna Lovegood."

Marvolo relaxed a bit. Harry had told him about her before. She was the one Harry had given his research to. –a fact he still was a bit miffed about but well, it wasn't this girl's fault.-

"My name is Thanos. Thanos du Fuga. I'm Harry's lover." The girl just frowned, as if she was thinking about something. Didn't she believe him?

"Could you please write something down? Your name or so."

He blinked in surprise and wordlessly took the offered parchment and quill. There was still a bit of leftover ink in it, so he decided to keep it short and, like she had asked, wrote his name. Or well, his fake name.

"You are the one who wrote the research of magical creatures!" she stated, and he nodded, wondering if she deduced that fact from just his handwriting "And you're the Dark Lord!"

He stiffened at the last comment, not knowing if she was joking or not. He stared at her and tried Legilimency, but a mental wall stopped him. Of course, it was nothing he couldn't break, but she would notice for sure.

"**What**?" he said in a low voice.

"You're the Dark lord… I recognise your writing." She said.

In a blink of an eye, he had his wand out and pressed it to her throat, narrowing his eyes as she calmly stared back. "Explain." He hissed, morphing his eyes back so they were crimson again.

"In my first year, my first friend got hold of a diary. She showed it to me. It was written by Tom Riddle, and later, after a few dreadful things had happened, it became clear that Tom Riddle was the Dark Lord. You have the exact same handwriting as him. I noticed when reading the list. I didn't say anything to Harry yet, because he was kind of secretive about it and obviously didn't want to be pushed on the subject. I figured that he knew though. You're really his lover?"

Arching an eyebrow at her honesty and unfazed look, he said: "Yes, I am. And yes, he knows who I am."

"Oh, good. I would hate it if you had deceived him or something… I didn't really think you would have though, Harry is smarter than that."

"You are odd." He commented, and sat down beside her.

"I know." She said, throwing a stone in the lake and watching the ripples on the surface. "Hey, this means Harry is dark as well, yes?"

"Yes." There was no use denying it, and frankly, Marvolo enjoyed saying it out loud, especially to one of Harry's friends.

"And the rest?"

"What rest?"

"Ron, Hermione… Harry's friends."

"Oh. They don't know yet." He said, feeling oddly peaceful.

"Hmm…" she hummed, closing her eyes. "This is not exactly how I had imagined meeting you." She said, glancing at him.

"What part lacks? The grand fights, the threatening, the torturing?"

"Actually I was talking about your face." She said matter-of-factly, and he had a hard time remaining composed.

"Right. Of course. My face." He said as calm as possible. A few seconds of silence later, he snorted and got up. "It was nice meeting you Ms Lovegood, but I should be going. Have a good night."

"I will, bye." She said and went back to staring at the moon.

* * *

Read and Review!

xx GeMerope


	18. Part I Chapter XVIII

When looking up towards the head table, Harry had yet to see concerned faces, but then again, not all professors ate their breakfast here. Still, the empty chair filled him with sadistic glee. Lessons went on like normal, but when the first break came, there were already whispers about the toad's absence. When Hermione commented on it, Harry just shrugged and ate his breakfast in silence, ignoring the questions that arose around him.

It wasn't till the evening that the other teachers had caught wind of the rumors, and McGonagall, Flitwick and Dumbledore were having a heated discussion. Then, halfway through dinner, the doors of the hall opened and five wild-looking centaurs barged through the doors of the Great Hall. They looked livid and Harry admired their acting skills. Their muscles trembled with anger and every face was contorted in a grimace. A grey centaur stormed forward and threw a bundle on the stone floor, which made a strange dull thudding sound.

"We tolerate you near out forest, inside our territory, we respect your laws and hold no grudge towards your kind, but let this be an example of what happens when you disrespect **us**!" he thundered, and his voice echoed through the silent room, every one of its occupants too shocked to speak.

Dumbledore rose, his face pale and his eyes filled with non-understanding. He raised his hands in a surrendering gesture and addressed the centaurs. "Please, be calm and explain. What angered you so?"

"One of yours trampled into our forest, shouting insults and when we showed ourselves, it only became worse! Our way of life, our kind, our ancestors and our abilities were verbally slaughtered. Magic, offensive magic was used against us!" he said, prancing. His hooves landed on the stone with a loud clanking sound, and Harry thought that the centaur might even start snorting. "let this be a lesson that we won't be mocked with, you inferior creatures!" after that, he turned and stormed through the still open doors, the other four horse-men following him.

Immediately, tumult broke loose and Snape, being the first to compose himself, got up and walked around the head table to approach the bundle. He flapped the cloth open and paled, but didn't show any other reaction. Quickly, he covered the body again and mouthed something to Dumbledore, who gripped the edge of the table until his knuckles turned white.

"Everyone, go back to your dorms." He finally said with a shaky voice.

Harry knew that for once, he could use his status, because being the Boy-Who-Lived and Dumbledore's 'favourite', he could get away with staying and asking what was going on. Even though he'd completely lost his trust in Dumbledore, the man still trusted **him** to be loyal. Or perhaps not so much anymore, but this could very well be the perfect opportunity to regain that trust… He lingered behind and, when the majority was gone, walked up to the headmaster. Snape's mouth became a thin line which told Harry that the man might need another 'nice talk' with him and Marvolo, but at least the man didn't speak up or try to stop him.

"Professor… what happened?" he asked with fake-concern, which sounded so real that he secretly applauded himself, while he tried his best not to cackle.

"Harry… my boy, we are faced with a grave situation… I never thought they would be capable of something like this but… they murdered professor Umbridge. It appears that not the only threat comes from Voldemort…" Dumbledore said, obviously afraid.

"Won't the Ministry do something about it?"

"If they know, they will probably execute all the centaurs. If not, nothing will happen, but I don't know if I can justify that to myself. According to their own laws, the centaurs stood in their right, but…"

"But not to ours." Harry finished, nodding.

"Exactly. I'm glad you understand."

Harry pensively gazed at the body, getting an idea. "Can't you try talking to them, while informing the Ministry of an 'unfortunate accident'? I know it is not the noblest thing to do, but it might be better for the school. Of course, I'm not the one to make such a decision but…" He trailed off, carefully observing Dumbledore's reaction. The old man's eyes flashed up with something, and a small smile formed on his lips. "Well… I think I should go." Harry said.

"Yes, do that Harry. I think I know what to do already. You have my thanks."

"No problem, really…" Without wasting anymore words, he turned and left the Hall. From one of the dark corners, Eyolf smirked and mentally complimented the teen before he too left. Some kids had pulled a prank on a first-year… he looked forward to their detention.

* * *

It's a conspiracy!" Fudge shouted in both anger and panic to his empty office. He'd wanted to control the life at Hogwarts, keep an eye on Dumbledore and try to pull Harry Potter more to the Ministry instead of having him blindly following the headmaster, but that all was ruined in mere days. Dead. Dolores Umbridge was dead. "Unfortunate accident" he muttered, throwing the letter on his desk and glared at it. He'd sent one of his best co-workers to Hogwarts and she ended up dead by 'accident'? As if he'd believe that.

Still, there was little he could do. The first time he had called on the board of the school to fire Dumbledore, now almost three years ago, it had failed horribly and backfired on top of that. When there had been a dangerous animal, two years ago, it broke loose and disappeared before a ministry-worker could execute it, and Black had also slipped through his fingers on the Hogwarts grounds. In other words: Hogwarts was trouble, and till now, his plans to infiltrate it hadn't been very successful. He needed someone stronger… someone who could stand up against the staff there. Not a diplomat this time, but a fighter… it was time to play his ace.

* * *

"After this, he'll feel threatened." Marvolo stated, tapping absentmindedly with his fingers on the armrest of his chair, a small smile playing on his lips. "I know Fudge. He might be an idiot, but he is also stubborn. He won't give up, and he'll try the same tactic as before. Send someone he trusts to Hogwarts. Only this time, he'll choose someone stronger. And if I know him well enough, then the death of the woman won't let him rest until he knows for sure that he has sent the **best**."

"And who will that be?" Harry asked, leaning back, letting his head rest on his lover's knees.

They were both in the living room that was part of Marvolo's quarters in Hogwarts, the former Room of Requirement, now full-time occupied by the Dark Lord's chambers. How the man did it to make it remain the same all of the time, Harry didn't know. Probably some magic which he didn't even want to know the theoretical basis of. The teen moved a bit until his back was fully pressed against Marvolo's legs. It might be not the most comfortable place, but he didn't mind, and hummed when cold fingers began to thread through his hair. He closed his eyes, fully concentrating on the feeling for a moment.

"He has a branch of elite fighters. Not the Aurors. He doesn't trust most of his Aurors, since a lot of them have been loyal to Dumbledore in the past, and he doesn't know who of them he can trust. Not that he outwardly shows that of course… It is one of the sole things he's right in with his conspiracy theories. It** is** full of Dumbledore's men. Always has been."

"So this fighter department… what exactly is it?"

"They are veteran fighters. People who have already proven themselves. They are the elite, who got their experience on the battlefield instead of by training. Fudge uses them as guards for himself and other important people, or to eliminate enemies of the Ministry. There is one thing, however, that has escaped his attention."

Harry turned and looked up to the man. "They're all** your** men, aren't they?"

"Precisely. Second Circle, so Dumbledore doesn't know of them yet."

"Did you plan for this to happen before you killed Umbridge?"

"Always think twelve steps in advance, Harry. Always."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'd wished to do this later… and when I decided to kill her, I was a bit too occupied by my thoughts of revenge."

"So… do I know any of these fighters?"

"I believe you spoke to them at your first meeting. Oh, and one of them, Ryder Dusk, had trouble with Greyback's pack the meeting after that. Why do you think I risked displeasure from Greyback, an Alpha? Losing Winter Howls is nothing compared to losing the absolute loyalty of an Ef. –Fudge's abbreviation for the Elite Fighters-."

"Who do you think he will send?"

"The one I appoint, of course." Marvolo said, smiling thinly. "The Efs have a certain… freedom. Like me, the Ministry does not want to lose them, and therefore, they are allowed to run themselves. When Fudge gives them a task, **they **decide who takes it. More than half of the Efs are under my command, so in the end, it is I who appoint them their missions."

"So in reality, Fudge hands over his most important force to his enemy? That's rich."

"That's one way of stating it. Now, Dusk is too valuable to spend a year here. I need him on missions with his pack. The demon twins are better together, and I'd rather not set one of **those** loose on this school… There might be more deaths than can be covered up…" Marvolo smirked.

"If by 'demon twins' you mean Devaki and Dyanira, then I absolutely agree." Harry laughed. "Devaki was the one who gave me a lesson. Man, I'd rather not have her as a teacher three times a week. "

"Thought so."

"I'd send Sameer." Harry suddenly said.

"Sameer Atiyeh? Excellent choice. May I ask why?"

"He is composed, calculated. I got the idea that he thinks things through without rushing. He's also a good leader. It looked like he kind of held the group together. You don't plan for us to remain on Hogwarts much longer, do you?"

"No." Marvolo admitted. "I'd wanted to give you more time for your education and friends, but the war must escalate soon, preferably right after I have obtained Dumbledore's memories and have the necessary information. It depends on what I will find whether or not I must first finish him. I'd rather not, though. I want to disgrace him first… Otherwise he'll die a martyr and we can't have that. I'm sure there will be the necessary blackmail material in his memories. From what I have gathered, he had a rather murky past. Either way, the quiet days will soon be over."

"Someone must take over Hogwarts after you're through with Dumbledore. Sameer would be a good choice. It will give the Ministry a safe feeling, and the Order doesn't know he is a Death eater. With Eyolf lurking in the shadows, and Sameer Headmaster, Hogwarts would be as good as ours."

"It is decided then." The Dark Lord said.

"What about my task with Draco? I haven't even had time to make a **start** with that."

"I'll tell him to work on it alone. You concentrate on Dumbledore. What you did with Umbridge's death was good. The old man trusts you more now."

"That was my intention… Marvolo? Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"You always say that power is just that, power. That it is our actions which make us good or evil…"

"Yes, and?"

"What we did to her, using our powers… does that make us evil?"

"Perhaps. It depends how you look at it. Depends on how you perceive your own deed. The killing and torturing on itself, without context, is undeniably evil, yes. But to myself, I could justify it.** She** tortured** you**, and there is no doubt that she would have done that to more students. She has done horrible things in the past. We rid the world of her. Is that bad?"

"I don't regret it, but I don't think it was** good** either. The method we used at least."

"I never said that I** wasn't** evil Harry. Actually, I warned you for it. But you know better than anyone that that is not the only word I can be defined with. There are more sides to me. The same goes for you, or Dumbledore, or anyone else, really. We fight for what we believe in while trying to protect the ones we love. I just like using crude, fast methods over years of political maneuvering to get what I want. If that makes me evil, so be it. However, my** side**, and my** goal**, are not."

"I understand. I just wonder how** I** want to go about reaching it. I always thought myself good. But what we did yesterday… that felt better than anything, although in my head, I know it wasn't. Maybe I am more evil than I thought."

"Probably. But remember that you always have a choice in this Harry. You can choose whether or not you want to do evil things. Do what you want, without being held back by the norm. I never did, and I ended up being the most powerful wizard alive, and immortal to boot. I would never have reached that if I hadn't pushed my own limits and broken them, instead of listening to others telling me what my limits** should** be. To telling me what is** good** to do and what not. And Harry?" he added on a soft tone.

"Yes?" The teen whispered, thinking about Marvolo's words.

"If everyone else turns their back on you, because they don't understand… remember then, that you'll always have me. For I will** never** turn my back on you. This, I promise, whatever you'll decide to do with your life."

Moved, Harry got to his feet and sat down on Marvolo's lap, wrapping his arms around the man's neck. He leaned closer until their lips were almost connected. "And I'll always be here for you too, no matter what others will say about you."

"I know." The man answered, looking into Harry's bright green eyes. "And I love you all the more for it."

* * *

Sighing inwardly, Sameer followed the panicking Fudge with his eyes. He tuned out the ranting of the man and thought back to the one-on-one meeting he'd had with his Lord yesterday evening. It seemed like an interesting task, teaching Defense at Hogwarts. He smiled at the thought of seeing the Potter boy again. Devaki hadn't been able to stop cooing over the poor teen. Or maybe not so poor, considering that Potter now had more back-up then he ever could have dreamt of. He still couldn't fathom how the boy had ever ended up with the Dark Lord, but he figured that their romantic interests were none of his business.

"And thus, I will give your team the task of infiltrating Hogwarts." Fudge ended his speech. Sameer looked up to him without any trace of emotion showing on his face.

"I'll do it myself." He softly said, and the Minister blinked twice.

"Oh. Alright." He said, obviously surprised. "Don't you need to… discuss this with the rest?"

"Not necessary. We've already spoke about it." With satisfaction, he saw that he'd thrown Fudge off balance, although he knew the man would only feel safer if he would go himself instead of sending another Ef. After all, he'd worked often for Fudge, even before and before the man had become Minister.

"But this means you already knew?"

"We also have… informants." He said with a thin smile, and once again, he was glad for the freedom they'd been given. As a result of that, Dyanira and Devaki were off on a mission for the Dark instead of guarding two members of the Wizengamot, as they should, according to Fudge. Not that it made a difference. Those paranoid members weren't even worth the attention of their Lord, so they were safe nonetheless.

"Right. You'll be send there tomorrow then. Will this be alright by you?"

"Tomorrow is fine. Preferably in the evening."

"Good. I'll have the instructions you need to follow regarding lessons here." He said, and handed Sameer a few sheets of paper. The Death Eater allowed a vague smile to cross his face as he mentally set it aflame.

"I'll be on my way then." Sameer spoke and got up. "Expect my report in a week." The door slammed close before the Minister could answer, and Sameer walked away with a grin on his face. Around the corner, Alain awaited him.

"And?"

"Got the job." He answered, and his friend nodded.

"Have fun with it."

"Oh, I think I will." Sameer said. "Although I don't think I will follow the Ministry's lesson method."

Alain laughed and slapped his back. "I'm sure the kids will be glad…"

* * *

"Whoah! What in the name of Merlin!" Ron screamed, scrambling back and paling a few shades.

"Hey guys! Don't worry, he's honestly very sweet!" Harry cheerfully said, while Dean and Seamus could only gape as he scratched the scales on the head of the twelve-feet long boa constrictor.

"Uhm, Harry… sweet?"

"Yeah!" ~You won't bite, right?~

~I told you already that I wouldn't.~ Arzòn hissed.

"I saved him from a zoo when I was ten, just before I came to Hogwarts. He won't hurt you."

"That's… kinda cool." Dean finally managed to utter. "And well… everything is better than that giant tarantula Lee Jordan brought to school a few years ago."

"Or Hagrid's 'cute beasties.'" Ron agreed. "I forgot you could talk to snakes by the way. Haven't heard you hissing in your sleep for a while. It sounds weird, you know… and it definitely changed my perception of snakes. It really won't bite our heads off?"

"Nah."

"Can I touch it?"

~He wants to touch you.~ Harry said, amused.

~I heard. Strange humans. He can go ahead.~

"You can, but you might want to say 'he' instead of 'it'. He can understand human language a bit."

~Learned it from the zoo.~ Arzòn proudly said. ~Didn't really have anything else to do there.~

"What's he saying?" Seamus asked, relaxing a bit. The answer was never voiced, for a loud, high-pitched scream came from the doorway, and the boys saw a blur the size and posture of Neville flee down the stairs.

"Oh-oh." Ron smirked. "I think there's one person here who **doesn't** agree with your new choice of pet Harry… Besides, is it even allowed to have a snake?"

"Yes. They don't encourage it of course, but it's not forbidden." Another voice said, and they all turned to see Marvolo –or rather Thanos- sitting on the windowsill.

"How the hell did you get **there**?" Harry asked surprised.

"I have my ways." The crooked smirk that followed was all the answer Harry needed further. Marvolo slid to the floor and walked over to his boyfriend, giving Harry a soft peck on the lips. Arzòn suddenly froze and then lashed out before anyone could stop him.

~Marvolo! Arzòn, **stop**!~ Harry screamed, but the snake didn't listen, and its teeth hit the Dark lord's skin. Then, something unexpected happened. The snake suddenly looked as if in pain, and no blood flowed down Marvolo's arm.

~Ow…~ the snake hissed. ~My teeth. What just happened.. ouch, ouch, that hurts…~ Harry questioningly looked up to his lover.

"Armor charm. A shield charm that lies directly on the skin. Now, why did he attack me?"

"That's what I want to know…" Harry darkly said.

~Why? Why?~ the boa constrictor hissed, his eyes suddenly flashing with anger. ~Why are** you** betraying your mate? I thought you loved my sister's familiar? Then why…~

~Arzòn, Arzòn, wait…~ Harry began, kneeling down and threading his hand through his hair as he had to explain the situation to the snake. Inwardly, he was sniggering though, when Marvolo got called Nagini's pet… He briefly wondered if the serpent thought of** him** as a pet also though. ~He may not look like him, but this** is** Marvolo. He changed his appearance by magic, for these people here regard him as their enemy.~

Arzòn flicked his tongue out, eyeing the man suspiciously. ~He also smells differently.~

~Again, spells. Relax please, yes? Otherwise he probably won't be able to hold in his anger and begin to yell at you, which **really** isn't a good idea, because no-one can know that he can speak Parseltongue.~

~Why not? They don't have a problem with you speaking either, right?~

~Yes, but there are only two people who can, him and I. If he would speak, then his identity would be revealed. And not to be rude, but why are you so overprotective anyway?~

~Because he asked me to keep other men away.~ The snake hissed, ignoring Marvolo's death glare.

"Did he, now?" Harry said through clenched teeth, equaling the look his lover was throwing at Arzòn.

"What did he do?" Ron said, raising his eyebrows. The other teens had followed the whole hissed conversation with fascination, and were dying of curiousity. They were disappointed though at Harry's answer.

"Something he and I will have a…** talk** about later. ~I do** not** appreciate a lack in **trust**.~ Knowing very well that he wasn't supposed to have understood that last bit, Marvolo chose to settle with a blank look. To break the sudden, awkward tension, Seamus suddenly jumped up.

"I'm gonna reassure Neville. Ya know, calm him down."

"Coming with you." Dean said, and they hurried away.

"Yeah… I believe I have to take a shower. See you later mate." Ron mumbled, and walked past them, but not before curiously stroking the scales on top of Arzòn's head.

~I like that one.~ He hissed, and slithered away, leaving the two lovers alone.

"So." Harry said with a glare, crossing his arms. He felt a mental wave of reassurance, but shook it off. He wasn't about to forgive the man that fast. Marvolo sighed and sat on the bed.

"It's not what you think."

"Really? So you did not tell Arzòn** without **first telling **me** that he is partly here to chase other men away? Don't you** trust** me?"

"Perhaps I should have said, it's not** why** you think." Marvolo dryly said. "Harry, I trust you. Really, I do. It's the rest of the world that I don't trust. And well… while I've been here, at Hogwarts, I've seen quite a lot people staring at you in a way that I did** not** like."

"I can protect myself." Harry huffed.

"Yes. Against students. It is not them I'm worried about either. But, so many others might get… interested in you in the future. More powerful men. I'd hate myself if I hadn't taken care of at least** some** extra protection."

"Then why didn't you** tell** me?"

"Because I knew that, regardless of the reason, you wouldn't like it."

"You're right, I don't. And I don't see me telling Nagini to fight of **your** other suitors." The teen said on a crabby tone.

"What suitors? Harry, there is no-one who wants** me**. And then again, I am the Dark Lord. There is not even one imbecile out there who will get it in his stupid head to try and get me forcefully."

"So **that's** it?" Harry asked, finally calming down somewhat. "You're afraid that I would be whisked away by someone who would… force me?"

"Well, I'd certainly hope you wouldn't go with someone else voluntarily… but I already said I trusted you to not do that." He added when seeing that his lover was about to protest. "Come, sit with me."

Still somewhat annoyed that Marvolo hadn't asked his permission for this, but also oddly touched, he sat down on the bed, in between Marvolo's legs, with his back to his lover's chest. He leaned back until his head touched a shoulder, which wasn't quite as bony or cold as he liked. "I hate this disguise of yours." He commented, sad.

"Silly boy." Marvolo smiled, dropping a kiss on Harry's cheek, and wrapped his arms around him. "We're good?"

"Yeah." Harry sighed. "Just… tell me next time, kay?"

"I promise. Now, for something completely different: You need more allies in the school here. I was thinking of initiating the Weasley Twins tomorrow or the day after." Marvolo spoke after casting a silencing charm around them. Harry wondered why he even bothered. If people could listen in now, they could have listened in before as well.

"I can tell them after breakfast."

"That's fine with me. I will give you a portkey and a note to hand to them. I expect you in my rooms that same evening. Come as quick as you can so we have time to talk about the details." Harry nodded, only slightly surprised. He wondered how the initiation would be. "Now, I'll go. Goodnight."

"Can't I come with you?" Harry asked. It wasn't really that he was in the mood to do anything but sleep, but suddenly he really yearned for Marvolo to hold him, to feel his** real** arms around him; long, hard and icy to the touch, instead of this fake body.

"Won't you be missed?"

"They'll understand." Harry said, a faint smile ghosting over his lips.

"Then come." Harry was curious to know why they walked to the window, and looked at his lover with a rather doubtful expression as the man climbed on the windowsill again and held out his hand. "Trust me." Marvolo whispered, and he let himself be pulled through the window. For a moment, his heart leaped into his chest as they fell, and he closed his eyes tightly, expecting harsh ground any moment, but then something clawed at him, threw him back up in the air again, and he landed rather undignified on something hard, scaly and** moving**.

"What…" he said, surprised, and dared to open his eyes when there were no other sounds heard than the wind and the flapping of wings. He nearly fell again, just from the shock, for he sat on a small, black dragon, and he quickly grabbed the sharp, one foot long spike in front of him, He could only barely reach it, for he sat on the dragon's back, and the last spike was situated on the base of the neck of the creature. Slowly, he calmed down enough to wonder about what had happened exactly. Marvolo had, as soon as he'd heaved Harry up the windowsill, jumped out of it… and then… no. Impossible. The black dragon lazily flapped his wings, slowing down but rising higher, until finally, they soared on the wind, and Harry got a déjà vu feeling. It reminded him of the time he'd flown with Buckbeak, although he had to admit that this was easier. Smoother.

"Marvolo?" he hesitantly asked, but the sound of his voice got lost in the wind. They circled high above the castle, and then flew away from it. The shock Harry was waiting for when passing the wards of Hogwarts did not come, something which surprised him very much. The dragon gained speed, and the landscape beneath them became nothing more than blurry shadows. Harry admired the way the muscles flexed and the skin trembled under the force of the air that pushed against it. He stroked the scales on the side, leaning a bit more forward. The dragon let out a sigh, and although Harry couldn't see the expression it wore, he knew it was content. Well, he didn't really know if 'it' was appropriate here, for he still had that strange feeling that this dragon might be Marvolo… Was it very wicked of him to think that his lover couldn't have taken a more beautiful form?

Strange, hissing laughter reached his ears, and he blinked, surprised. _Done admiring me?_

Harry nearly fell of the dragon's back in shock. _Marvolo?_

_Yes, love? I must admit that I am surprised… never thought you'd be in for bestiality…_

Harry blushed, not really knowing** what** the word meant exactly, but the implications in the tone weren't very subtle. _I didn't know you could turn into a dragon._ He thought, changing the subject._ Or, for that matter, that we could communicate like this._

_Took me some time, but I managed to open our mind-link further. It also helps that I am in this form. Dragons have a very clear, focused mind. _

_So… now you think like a dragon?_

_Not precisely, but I have certain dragonish traits. My body is not the only thing that transformed._

_So then this is your Animagus form?_ It made sense. Sirius had once explained how his mind worked when he was a dog. That he became less human, while still able to think like one. He supposed it must be similar.

_Yes, it is._

_Where are we going? To the manor?_

_No. That would be too far. It would take hours to get there. I know of a castle in the mountains here in Scotland. I have an… acquaintance who lives there._

_A friend?_

_Lord Voldemort doesn't__** have**__ friends._ was the grumbled reply.

_It's not healthy to speak in third person… one of the signs of insanity, they say._ Harry grinned when feeling a sting of annoyance and underlying humor as answer._ And I thought you just asked me to speak to the Weasley Twins after breakfast? If we're going to spend the night somewhere else…_

_We'll be back in time. And you said you'd speak to them__** after**__ breakfast. I just felt like flying suddenly._

Harry couldn't deny that it was pleasant, save for the rough scales that chafed the skin of his inner thighs through his pants whenever Marvolo made an abrupt movement.

_Hold on, we're going to land._

He gripped tighter onto the spike as they dropped. At the last moment in their fall, Marvolo spread his wings again, which slowed down their fall until they landed rather heavily on rough, grey stone. Harry looked up and saw a small, dark castle in front of him. He slid off Marvolo's back and looked at his head with curiosity. Dark red eyes stared back, and the light that fell through the windows of the castle made the black scales shimmer when the head turned so Marvolo could push his snout against Harry. It was strange how large he now was in comparison to Harry, although he held nothing to the Horntail or the other dragons Harry had seen so far. His head was about as long as Harry's arm when the teen embraced it with some difficulty.

"So beautiful…" Harry murmured, and Marvolo huffed, lifting the corner of his mouth. "I never imagined you to be a** dragon** though. I always thought a snake…"

_I can see where you'd get that._ He heard his lover chuckle in his head._ I was rather surprised myself when I first transformed. I can still speak Parseltongue though. Most dragons understand it._

"Does that mean that the only thing I had to do last year was** talk** to the dragon?" Harry said, rather surprised.

_What dragon did you have to fight?_

"Horntail."

_It would not have understood it. Differs too much from snakes. That Chinese Fireball and the Green Welsh would have. I don't know about the Shortsnout. But I take it that you like this form?_

_Quite._

_Hmm… I wonder… well, I always wanted to try…_

_What?_

_Just stand still…_

Not entirely comfortable, Harry remained still as Marvolo backed away slightly and positioned his head in front of him. Then, a long tongue, which was forked at the tip, came out and suggestively licked the teens lips, making Harry stagger backward, blushing furiously. Marvolo growled a bit in playfulness and shot forward again, his snout an inch from Harry's nose, whose heart was practically beating out of his chest. Before something could happen though, the doors of the castle opened and a tall, blonde man stood in the door opening.

"Who goes there? I do not allow… Voldemort? Is that you?"

Marvolo pulled back from a still stunned Harry and transformed back into his usual self. "Stryker. How nice to see you again. Has business been well?"

"Certainly. Did I somehow do something to displease you that you come here?"

"Not at all… I simply needed to stay somewhere for the night. I was at Hogwarts, you see, but I felt the urge to be away for a night, and my manor is quite far. If it would not be too much trouble…?"

"Please, come in." the man said, and made a welcoming gesture with his hand. "I haven't seen you in a long time."

"Indeed… would you know the time?"

"It is around ten, I believe."

"Good. Then I know how long it will take to fly back." Marvolo said, grasping Harry's hand, guiding him towards the castle.

* * *

Read and Review!

xx GeMerope


	19. Part I Chapter XIX

Ah, one of my favourite chapters ^.^  
The one that contains the hot sceneof which literally 68 people asked me to write it…

Enjoy!

* * *

"_Please, come in." the man said, and made a welcoming gesture with his hand. "I haven't seen you in a long time."_

"_Indeed… would you know the time?"_

"_It is around ten, I believe."_

"_Good. Then I know how long it will take to fly back." Marvolo said, grasping Harry's hand, guiding him towards the castle._

Stryker regarded him with curiousity as he entered the castle, and he was surprised by how light the interior was in comparison to the outside. The stone was as dark as on the outside walls, but the cream carpets and colourful banners and paintings everywhere created a whole other atmosphere altogether.

"Would you like something to drink?" the man asked in a pleasant voice.

"Some wine would be nice."

"Tea." Harry managed to utter.

"Good, good. Maylene!" A door opened and, to Harry's surprise, a maid entered. He had never heard of wizards who had any servants other than house-elves, but he thought it a nice change. Hermione would probably do a victory dance if she knew. "Bring some wine and tea to the second living room."

_Second… why are all the people I have associated with lately so damned __**rich**__?_ Harry thought. Not that he didn't have his fair share of fortune as well, but still.

They were led to a cozy room, where a fire merrily crackled in front of a table and a set of soft couches. Harry brushed some hair out of his eyes while he sat down, and quirked an eyebrow when he looked up to the stunned face of the man.

"By Salazar… Harry Potter?"

"Oh, uh, yeah. Nice to meet you." Harry said, and held his hand out to the man. Stryker gave his hand a rather perplexed stare, and then looked up to Marvolo, who merely sat there with an amused smirk.

"You converted **Harry Potter** to the Dark side? I thought he was a Dumble-dog?"

"Not anymore. I** was** though." Harry said, scrunching his nose. "Well, I never got to hear the story of the other side. What Dumbledore tells everyone on the Light is just a bunch of crap."

"I didn't really have to do much to convince him." Marvolo said. "And I think proper introductions are in order here, by the way. Harry, this is Stryker Opacus. He deals in dark magical artifacts on the Dark Market. Borgin and Burkes for example, is one of his clients."

"Hmm, I think the Twins will be interested in meeting him once. Or perhaps they even already know of him. They do know their ways around the black market, apparently." Harry grinned.

"But I deal in the Dark market, not black. The black market is an illegal circuit run by both Light and Dark magicians." Stryker corrected.

"Indeed. Stryker, this is, obviously, Harry Potter. He… helps me."

It was clear that the blonde was a servant of Marvolo -even though he also seemed to be a bit more than just another follower- because he did not question the vague statement. Instead, he nodded thoughtfully, accepting it as the truth instantly. They were interrupted as the drinks were served, and slowly, Harry leaned back into the comfortable couch, relaxing, while Stryker and Marvolo engaged in some small talk about business. At one point, his lover left for the bathroom, and an uncomfortable silence crept into the room.

"You're a death eater?" Stryker asked awkwardly.

"No. Are you?" Harry replied, mildly interested.

"Yes." The man said, and rolled up his left sleeve to show the dark mark.

"I haven't seen you during meetings."

"I tend to stay in the background. I have enough enemies as it is." Stryker grimaced.

"Why yes, I can imagine." Harry smirked as the tension faded away again. "What is your job exactly? Collecting those objects or just buying them from others and re-selling them?"

"The first. I'm not one to sit on my butt and do nothing all day. Today, for example, I went to Africa. I found this amazing mask… whoever puts it on becomes possessed by a dark spirit and commits the most gruesome crimes. Quite fantastic if you hate someone and want to imprison them. You just make your own evidence…"

Harry suddenly got a vision of a mad cackling Dumbledore, bloody knife in the hand and with a wooden mask over the old man's face. Surprised, he looked up, for he was sure that that particular image was no concoction of his own mind. Marvolo entered the room again and just looked at him with a blank face, but a wave of amusement flooded through his mind.

He got a headache from this mind-link.

"It is getting quite late. I believe it best if we retire for the night." Marvolo said.

"Of course. I'll show you your rooms." The Dark Lord merely smirked at the plural form and arched an eyebrow at Harry, as if daring him to speak up, but the teen just pressed his lips tightly together, a challenging spark in his eyes, which lost its impressiveness when Harry yawned and then blushed. Marvolo quite obviously stifled a chuckle behind his hand and followed Stryker. They were led upstairs and through a grand corridor. They stopped in front of large doors made of light wood. "I trust that you want to spend the night in your usual guest room, Lord Voldemort?"

"You assume correctly. Well, I think we will be gone before you are up, so I suppose we'll have to part now."

"I hope the stay here pleased you, Lord Voldemort. Come Mr Potter, I will show you your room now."

"That won't be necessary." Marvolo interrupted, and Harry felt two arms wrapping around him from behind. The teen didn't know whether to be annoyed at the smug, possessive tone, or amused when Stryker's eyes comically widened for a moment.

"Of... of course." He stuttered, taken aback a bit. "Good… good night." He muttered. The cheeks of the man flushed a bit, and he walked away with as much dignity as he could.

When they were alone, Harry turned and gave Marvolo a half-hearted glare. "You've been waiting all evening for that, haven't you?"

"Perhaps." The man commented airily, and Harry shook his head, chuckled, and walked past his lover. He blinked when entering the bedroom they had been appointed. It was large, about twice as large as the one at home, and that one wasn't exactly small either. "Perfect." He heard a voice beside him, and he looked up to his lover, raising an eyebrow.

"Kind of spacey."

Marvolo just hummed in agreement and stepped in. Having almost forgotten about what had happened when they had come here, Harry was mostly relaxed now, and he appreciatively watched Marvolo's body while more and more skin was exposed as the man undressed. When nothing but black underwear was left, the man sat on the bed, gazing at Harry with a frown.

"What?" the teen asked while undressing himself.

"Come here." Marvolo murmured, and Harry obeyed, letting himself be pulled on Marvolo's lap. "Harry… does it trouble you? What I did… outside?"

"I…" Well, he certainly hadn't expected it to be said out aloud so boldly. "I think that I was more… well, more bothered because I... uh, l… liked it so much." He looked down at his hands, blushing heavily as the words rushed out. A long silence fell, until Harry had the nerve to look up, and saw that Marvolo was rather stunned, till his expression morphed into a small smirk.

"You** liked** it?"

"I… well, yeah. No matter how you look, you're always rather... attractive. It was strange though." The blush was now undoubtedly spreading on his face. Harry thought it was a kind of awkward subject to speak of.

"So… you wouldn't mind… doing that again?"

Now it was Harry time to look stunned at hearing the strange, hopeful, almost** begging** tone. "You really want it badly, don't you?" he said, and smiled apologetically when receiving a glare. – which kind of failed anyways, since beneath that glare, Harry could see his lover's insecurity, and he wondered what caused it. He'd never really seen Marvolo insecure about anything, especially not when talking to Harry.-

"Like I told you, when becoming an animal, one's mind also gets animalistic traits. It was just… you smelled too delicious to resist. And I am in heat." The man admitted, and the teen didn't know whether to be flattered or uneasy.

"You were in** heat**?"

"**Am**." Marvolo corrected, and before Harry could process what was happening, he was pushed down on the bed. The protest he'd wanted to utter was lost when his mouth was ravished.

_- Warning: bestiality lemon :P -_

"Morph back." He gasped, pushing his embarrassment aside.

Smooth skin turned into scales beneath his fingers, and white became black. The only thing that remained the same were those red eyes that intensely stared into his. Harry sat up as he felt Marvolo retreat, but then realised that he only did that because the bed would surely break because of the weight. With legs that trembled in anticipation, he got up and approached the crouched down dragon. He followed the slow, flicking movement of the tail with his eyes as he undressed himself further. A low growl came from his lover's throat, and excitement took his last worries away. Harry licked his lips and reached out his hand so it rested at the side of Marvolo's head. His breath turned ragged as he pressed his lips to the dragon's neb, and the long, black, forked tongue invaded his mouth. He did his best trying to get accustomed to it, and was surprised himself by how easy and natural this felt. Marvolo pulled away and slowly circled around the teen with a lust-filled gaze.

Harry just closed his eyes and moaned as a waft of burning air rolled over the skin of his back. He felt like he was on fire already, and the smooth tail that wrapped itself around his trembling right leg didn't help much to quell that fire. Black scales chafed him, leaving faint lines all over his body, marking him. He wondered how far this would go. How far this **could** go. He guessed he'd see and let Marvolo take control. A heavy head rubbed against his back and a wet tongue dragged across the skin, slowly trailing down. Harry breathing hitched and unaware, he spread his legs a bit more and leaned over, placing his hands against Marvolo's side, which was still in front of him. It was a very strange experience, to be completely surrounded, but it was a very comforting feeling.

He released a long, guttural moan when, after the necessary whispered spells, a fiery hot tongue slid inside of him. He left dignity for what it was and sagged against Marvolo, curling his hands around the spikes on the top of the large, slender body to keep himself steady, for his legs gave out under him. The large tongue pushed further inside, filling him almost as much as normally Marvolo's cock would. A large plus to this however, was that it moved in the most amazing ways, lapping his insides, wiggling deeper, pushing deeper, curling upwards when it was least expected.

"Marvolo…" Harry almost sobbed, grinding his erection against the rough side of his lover, completely pressing against him, while the tongue inside him never ceased to work its magic. Suddenly, Marvolo drew back, sliding out completely, and Harry cried out loudly at the feeling, pushing his ass back, begging to be filled again, and after a second, Marvolo complied, this time plunging in with one, long slide. Hot breaths on Harry's cheeks had him sweating while he was assaulted in a much rougher pace than before. He gasped for breath, but it was constantly cut off with every movement inside of him. His lover growled, and the rumble sent vibrations through him that had him throw his head back.

"Ah..n.. please, **please**, I need more. Ah,** AH!** Yes, more, more…" he cried, but just as he reached the point where he almost broke down, Marvolo drew back again, this time completely, and Harry crumpled to the ground, gasping, his pucker throbbing fiercely, clenching and relaxing again. He shuddered violently, and looked up to the black form in front of him with hazy eyes. He knew that it would be useless to beg again, and also that it was selfish of him, but Merlin, he needed** more**, and it was just cruel that Marvolo had pulled away when Harry was seconds away from coming. Still, arguing would only prolong this, so he did what he could, crawled towards the dragon and began to stroke the belly and inside of his lover's legs.

Harry smirked when he immediately got a reaction, and a mixture of desperate groans and growls filled with lust filled the room. He blushed heavily when catching sight of the black, pulsing member that hung in between the hind legs. He roughly guessed it to be about as thick as his own thigh, and a bit less than two feet long. He gulped and experimentally took hold of it, pumping the skin. He was rewarded with a breathy wheeze. The skin was strange. If anything, he could probably compare it with an elephant's skin, only black and less rough. There were a few scales at the base, but generally, it was just skin. He lapped at the dark tip, which held a slight purple hue, and quickly pulled away when Marvolo tried to push into his mouth.

"Hold still please, or I will choke." He smirked, and his grin widened when a hiss indicated that his lover was not pleased by that statement.

_Then hurry up and suck me already. I do__** not**__ have the patience for this._ Marvolo growled in his mind, and Harry quickly obliged. He quickly found out the the slit was just wide enough for him to slowly push his tongue in, with which he drove Marvolo wild a few times. He placed wet, openmouthed kissed all over the head, while rubbing the shaft with both of his hands. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore and let one hand drift to his own, painfully straining cock. Breathing heavily through his nose, he moved his head further forward, sucking at the spot between the base of the large cock and the heavy sacks. His hand moved faster, and he closed his eyes again in bliss. Almost… almost…

He whined in frustration when in a flash, he was thrown onto his back by a strong leg, and the sharp, black nails of Marvolo's hind paw dangerously scraped against his chest as he wriggled underneath it, trying to break free.

_Did I tell you you were allowed to pleasure yourself?_ he heard, a husky whisper in his mind.

"Let me go."

~No, I don't think I will. Actually, I think I like you just where you are, although perhaps in a different position…~ Marvolo hissed, and the paw was removed, only to be replaced by a front paw in a blink of an eye. The dragon had scrambled backwards so he was now on eye level with his young lover. ~I want to take you.~ Marvolo breathed, and Harry looked up in alarm.

"Like this?" he squeaked, peering at the impossibly large…

~Of course not like this, silly child. I would rip you open, and I have no desire to ever engage in necrophilia.~ The dragon hissed in an annoyed voice. ~Still, I suppose I will have to restrain myself a bit longer…~ he mused, probably more to himself then to Harry.

"What do you- **Ah**!" He was taken by surprise when a long, slender nail sank into his slit. It stung and burned, but oh, did it feel good…

~Now, do you have any idea what you did to me with that daring little tongue of yours?~

Harry wasn't exactly in the right state to answer, and instead moaned, his eyes rolling back and his back arching off the floor. The nail slid in and out, and then suddenly went deeper than before, hitting a spot that Harry had only thought could be found when he was being pounded into from behind. And of course, he was left hanging again when he was on the brink of getting his satisfaction.

"You evil man." He muttered, trembling all over. Marvolo merely smirked as well as he could as a dragon and bend forward once again, kissing him feverishly, careful not to touch Harry's lips with his sharp teeth. Slowly, the tongue transformed, shrinking. The two tips became one again, and finally, Harry could swing his arms around his lover's neck and pull the man on top of him. "Please." He simply breathed, spreading his legs. Hands gripped his hips, pulling him upward, and while a mouth latched onto a sensitive spot at the side of his nape, he was entered with a swift thrust. Cold arms enveloped him in a crushing hug, and their gasps became feverish as they both reached their bliss.

Afterwards, they were both just about awake enough to drag themselves onto the bed, and Harry curled up into Marvolo's embrace, snuggling up to him. The man tenderly kissed his sweaty brow and pulled the covers over them both, humming a soft lullaby until the teen was sound asleep.

* * *

Nonchalantly, Sameer looked around as he was lead towards the Great Hall. He had never set foot in the castle before, and it wasn't similar at all to his old school in Saudi Arabia. Of course, that had only been primary school for magicians. He knew the secondary school was much grander there. Alas, he'd never been able to attend it. It all seemed so cold to him here though. The flickering candles didn't help much. He really wondered why so many people spoke of this as 'home'. The doors of the hall swung open, and he gazed at the room with more appreciation. Thousands of candles floated above four tables, where hundreds of students were eating and chattering. He straightened his shoulders when he walked inside, although he knew that it wouldn't be much trouble for him to gain the respect of these children. He'd never really had problems with gaining respect… Indeed, they fell silent when he entered. Some instantly began to whisper among themselves, some just gawked. He tried not to look **too** intimidating, but he probably failed at that. The headmaster rose from his chair and smiled at him. If he would not have spent years analyzing people, he'd probably would have though it sincere, but now he knew better. The man was just glad that he gained a potential strong asset.

"Welcome, welcome. How splendid that you could come so soon. Everyone, this is professor Atiyeh. He will be teaching you Defense this year. I hope you will learn much from him. In these dark times, a good teacher is everything." He said, and sat down again. It was outrageous that even now, he was spouting propaganda. A magic school was supposed to be neutral, damn it. Sameer swallowed his anger though, and also sat down on the teachers table, next to Snape, who gave him a meaningful look. He didn't know how much he could trust the man, but nodded nonetheless before letting his eyes wander over the house tables, finally stopping at the sight of Harry Potter. Haunting green eyes bored into his, and he got the idea that this was not fully the same boy whom he had met before, at the Death Eater meeting. He had lost some of his innocence and naivety, and had a harsh expression. He looked forward to teaching the child.

* * *

The only reason he didn't hit the stone floor was because of a pair of arms that caught him just before he fell. Fred looked up and blushed when his brother pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Ready Fred?"

Fred sighed and looked around. They were in a dark hall, in front of two large oak doors with silver snake ornaments on it. There was no mistake as to where they were. He swallowed, but nodded. "Of course I am ready. We've been waiting for this for some time."

"Do you think we'll be marked already?" The other boy mused, and Fred huffed.

"Do you really think there's even a slight chance that we would be able to walk away** without** a mark? Besides, that's what we wanted, right? To become Death Eaters?"

"Mom's gonna flip though, should she ever see it." George snickered.

"Yeah. Better-"  
"Learn some hiding charms."  
"Good idea for when we have a shop."  
"Wristbands who cover up any marks, tattoo's or piercings!"  
"I was thinking just the same thing… but first…"  
"Let's face the Dark Lord!" They finished in unison, and shared trademark grins.

"After you, Georgie." Fred said.  
"No, after **you**."  
"Together?"  
"Ya bet."

They pushed the doors open, their minds swirling with all kinds of emotions, from anticipation to a slight hint of fear. While they knew that the Dark had good, realistic goals, the Dark Lord was not exactly the nicest person on earth, they knew as much. Although meeting the one they had grown up to fear also held a certain appeal. Or it did in their twisted minds.

The flickering flames of candles threw long, eerie shadows on the stone walls and on the long rectangular mahogany table in the middle. Only two persons were sitting at it. On the head of the table was, without any doubt, the Dark Lord Voldemort, and Fred unconsciously wavered in his step when his eyes met those of the man, which gleamed with a clearly visible red. Even in the dark room and from such a distance, those eyes seemed to light up with their haunting blood colour. Tearing his gaze away, Fred looked at the other person, a small figure, wrapped in a long black cloak that covered nearly all of him, including his face. Still, he didn't think there was any doubt as to who it was.

Not knowing what to do exactly, they both sank to their knees. A dark chuckle broke the silence, and strange, hissing words filled the room, answered in the same language by the other person. Harry. They had been surprised when the boy had walked up to them after breakfast and started talking about some trivial things like Quidditch, but then a note and a small trinket had been pushed into Fred's hand, and Harry had quietly whispered: "When you decide, it's final. If you're not absolutely sure, then burn this paper and return the other thing to me." On which George had replied that they had made their decision quite some time ago.

"Sit down." Voldemort commanded, yet his voice held a light tone that didn't sound as threatening as Fred had expected. He rose to his feet and grabbed the nearest chair, making sure that there was at least one empty chair in between himself and the Dark Lord. He noticed that George's hand, which lay next to his at the wood of the table, trembled lightly, but he resisted the urge to grab it, not knowing how much affection he could show here. The problem was that their knowledge of the Dark Lord had been gained through two sources. What they had heard from when they were still little children from their parents –who, in turn, had it from Dumbledore-, and what they had been told by various people on the dark side. While those two stories had not matched at all on most points, the stories that portrayed the Dark Lord as a human being with feelings were so rare that Fred didn't know how much value he could set on those.

Suddenly, his brother screamed, and Fred looked at him, alarmed, only to see him staring at the Dark Lord with wide eyes, a vague haze over them. He sprung to his feet, but a voice called out to him, and he froze.

"Stop." Harry said, and Fred agitatedly looked back and forth between the still screaming George, Harry, and the Dark Lord, who held an expression of utter concentration, never looking away from George. When finally, he did, the screaming was abruptly cut off, and his brother sagged in his chair, folding his arms over his chest in a protective gesture. Sweat covered his skin and his breathing was shallow.

"What did you do? What did you do to him?" Fred asked, frightened.

"The same I will now do to you." Voldemort calmly said, but then he looked at Harry, who had grabbed one of the Dark Lord's long sleeves.

"Don't. Please. They practically share a mind, it's not necessary." Harry whispered.

"Fine." Voldemort conceded, and Fred blinked, shocked by how quickly the Dark Lord gave in. "As for your question: I skipped through his every memory and stripped his mind down until his core, his soul, was bare to me, and with it, every dark desire of his heart."

Fred tried to swallow, but noticed that his throat was constricted, and with concern, he looked over to his twin, who was still struggling for breath.

"George?" he whispered, and got a weak smile in return.

"I'm fine." George managed to utter, although Fred wasn't fooled for even a second.

"Well, now I know you spoke the truth when you contacted Harry, and that you are sincere in coming here, sincere in wanting to participate in this war… on the winning side, this time. You know what you are getting into, you know how I work, and on top of that, you two are great inventors. Now, for that last point: I can get you all the ingredients you ask for. I want you to come up with certain items when I ask for it. You have never failed to invent something once you had an idea. I need that. That cleverness, and also that determination. You will, of course, be paid."

"Well, only for the stuff you invent that we can use." Harry said. "Not for Death Eater work or your own inventions."

"Precisely. Any questions?"

"Uh…" Fred said, speechless for a moment. He'd prepared himself for some sort of interview. Answering on questions when asked to, explaining their motives, trying to convince the Dark lord that they were really on his side. Not… this. He thought about questions for a bit, unconsciously biting on his thumb nail. "Where will be of use to you? I don't suppose it is convenient if we remain at Hogwarts. We don't mind quitting school, actually."

"Yes, I know." Voldemort answered without emotion.

_Creep._ Fred thought, once again checking on George, who had regained his composure, although he still trembled heavily.

"There is an empty, rather large building in Diagon Alley. Set up your shop there. You can do what you always wanted and you will be right where I need you. Harry will not remain at Hogwarts for much longer. I want you to come with him when he goes away."

"Uhm, won't the Order become suspicious of us then?"George asked with a frown. "Or Harry, for that matter."

"I have everything prepared to escalate this war, and I don't see why I should wait any longer."

Stunned, Fred stared at the Dark lord. War? Already? It was so unreal. The war would break out in **weeks**? "Then… I suppose we have to get to work very soon." He finally said.

"Come here." Voldemort hissed, drawing his wand, which he held loosely in his pale, bony fingers. Both of them got up and stood in front of the man. "Your arms." he commanded, and pointed his wand at Fred's bare skin. _**"Morsmordre."**_ Fred had to grit his teeth to prevent screaming when his arm felt as if it was set aflame, and a dark, inky substance spread on it until it took the form of a snake and a skull. When the wand was removed, his arm fell limply to his side, throbbing with pain. Seconds later, a similar mark appeared on George's forearm. They were marked now, bound to the Dark Side, to the Dark Lord, ready to lay down their very lives to protect those on their side.

XXx

Marvolo breathed out in relief, finally able to relax. Weasley followers… he'd never have thought the day would actually come. He supposed he'd been a bit harsh to Harry's friends, but he didn't particularly care for their feelings. Still, he didn't wish his lover to feel troubled, so he gave the Twins the shock of their lives by asking them to stay for tea in his most menacing voice. He ignored the warning jab at his side and the humoured glare Harry threw him.

~Give them a rest, Marvolo.~

~They need to know what they can expect. I can't have crying boys on the battlefield. Now, I can be sure that they are worthy. He hissed.

~I really wonder why everyone is so afraid of you. I mean, the only times when you are sadistic towards your followers is during the initiation and when they misbehave or fail. The general Death Eater meetings were rather cheerful.

~I have found out long ago that to be constantly feared among your ranks is not as big of a plus as I thought before.~

~Wow, so miracles do happen.~ Harry smirked, earning himself a glare.

~Brat.~

~Old man.~

~I did not get the idea that you minded.~

~Neither did I think that you minded loving a 'brat'.~

Marvolo grunted something and released a suffering sigh when the teen's smirk widened. Knowing that he couldn't win the argument, he sneered at the two Weasleys, feeling a childish smugness when they both looked very afraid.

"So, let's get down to business." He said when a house-elf had brought all of them tea. He automatically checked it on poison and sipped at it when the result was negative. "You were strong enough to break the spells Dumbledore placed on you. Do you think you are strong enough to break those of someone else?"

"Someone else?" Fred asked. "That depends on who."

"Miss Granger and your brother, Ron Weasley. It would be too suspicious for me to walk up to them and have a private conversation." George choked at the idea and Fred had to pat his back to ensure his brother got air again.

"Well yes, I think that would be… a bit odd." The teen finally said when he could speak again.

"Not as odd as you think. I have spoken to them before, although they obviously did not know who they spoke to. I got the chance to glance into their minds and saw webs of spells there."

"Wait, what?" Harry threw in. "You didn't tell me!"

"I didn't?" he asked, frowning. He honestly thought that he had told Harry, but when seeing the accusing look, he realised he had forgotten to do so. ~I'm sorry, it must have slipped my mind.~ He hissed softly. ~It was not intentional.~ Harry relaxed a bit, but now became worried.

"What kind of spells?"

"Miss Granger especially to keep her loyal to Dumbledore and not get the chance to obelize him. There was also a spell that suppressed her natural urge to find out everything about **every** subject, making her wary of dark knowledge. Concerning Mr Weasley, there was a very strange spell… to make him jealous of your fame and glory. I think Dumbledore intended for him to turn against you someday. I do not know the reasoning behind that. There were also some memory-altering spells and of course, loyalty charms."

"Memory-altering?"

"Yes. They are stronger than obliviation spells, where people know that they are missing something, but don't know what. When another, false memory has replaced the real one, the victim won't know that something is wrong, and will also not search for ways to break the spell. It is very advanced magic, and I realise that you" he gestured to the twins "Will not be able to do so. I ask of you to remove the other ones and then bring both of them here. Can you do so?"

"It was not too hard to remove our own, but that might be because we are not that well befriended with Harry."  
"Still, we should be able to do something about it." Fred finished.

"Good. I expect you to finish this mission in a week. Afterwards, you will need to start planning your future and help with the war."

"Of course, my Lord." They both answered.

"Then there is a second thing… I want a list with all of your inventions and ideas for new ones, no matter how banal they may seem."

"We have one at the castle. We will send you a copy of it."

"Good. Finally, I want you to know of our allies in Hogwarts. You can trust Sameer Atiyeh, your defence teacher, Eyolf, the janitor, Severus Snape to an extent… Harry of course, and Draco Malfoy. Should you ever need to contact me personally, touch the head of the snake on your mark with your wand and you will be transported to me."

"Understood."

"Harry, please take them back to the castle."

~You'll stay here?~ Harry said, surprised.

~Yes, I have work to do. Rodolphus and Rosier would come back from a mission tonight and I want to speak to them about it.~

~What mission?~

~An… experiment, if you will. My final goal is to have Wizards live peacefully among Muggles, out in the open. They befriended some Muggles, and this evening, they would finally confess that they are wizards. I want to know the reactions. I need to know if this can work.~

~I think it depends on the sort of people.~

~I pressed them to befriend open-minded people. Rosier might only want to socialize with snobs, but Rodolphus isn't that shallow, and I know that Rosier can be civil to everyone when he feels comfortable. I really hope it will have worked out.~

~I hope so too. Rosier… who is he, exactly? I don't think I've heard of him.~

~He fought at my side in the first war. He is an excellent strategist and fighter, but he was captured for a few days and tortured. I was able to free him, luckily, but he still carries the scars of that time. Since then, he tends to stay more in the background, also because the Light thinks him dead.~

~Dead?~

~Faked his own death. You didn't really think Wormtail could think of an original idea, did you? Although Rosier didn't cut of his own finger. He did take half of Moody's face though. Maybe he shouldn't have… now that man has his blasted all-seeing eye.~

~Well, the dark got revenge on Moody, that's for sure. A year imprisoned in a trunk…~

~Is nothing compared to what that man is capable of. I want him dead, almost as much as I want Dumbledore dead. Of course, someone had to ruin my plans last year.~

~Don't sulk.~

~I'm not sulking, brat.~

~Yes, you are. Well, goodnight, and don't forget to sleep, hmm?~

~You're too worried about me.~

~Well, you didn't sleep much yesterday evening either.~

~Just as much as you, brat.~ He affectionately hissed, pulling Harry on his lap, hugging the teen tightly for a moment. Harry wrapped his arms around him and kissed his cheek and forehead. The Dark Lord gripped Harry's hair and positioned his head so that he could kiss him on the mouth. For a minute, he allowed a deep, passionate kiss, but then reluctantly pulled back. "You should go."

~I know. Promise that tomorrow evening, you'll sleep together with me?~

~I promise.~

Harry slid off his lap and walked towards the Twins, ignoring their stunned looks and pale faces, taking the portkey. With a last, longing glance, his lover disappeared. Marvolo cracked his back and sagged in his chair, waiting for his men, who could arrive any moment now. Fifteen minutes and half a glass of wine later, the fireplace turned green and six people stumbled out of it, four falling flat on their face.

"Good evening, My Lord." Rosier said, bowing with a smile. Rodolphus wore a trademark smirk, and helped the Muggles to their feet, who stared at him in fascination.

"So, this is the Lord of Magic?" a girl chirped.

Marvolo bit the inside of his cheek to not burst out in laughing. "Something like that." He answered, amused. "Rodolphus, care to explain?"

"Of course, My Lord. These…" he waved his hand at the two men, a woman and a girl, "Are the first generation of Magic-loving Muggles."

* * *

Read and Review!

xx GeMerope


	20. Part I Chapter XX

"Harry?"

Harry, who had just finished putting up a silencing barrier around the three of them, turned to look at Fred, who seemed a little dazed. "Yes?"

"Could you warn us next time before you go **snogging** the bloody **Dark Lord**? I don't think I'll recover from that image…"

"Well, instead of recovering, you'd better get used to seeing us together." Harry said, more venomously then he'd wanted to sound. He understood their reaction of course, but it still hurt that everyone was so negative about his relationship with Marvolo.

Fred looked stunned, and then hastened to apologise. "No, Harry, that's not what I mean… It just… came a little unexpected. I thought you were together with that bloke from Hogsmeade?"

Harry smiled, albeit a little strained. "That 'bloke from Hogsmeade' was him in disguise. He can hardly walk in here with an appearance that everyone would recognise. I have you to thank that he came in at all though. Without the Marauders Map, I wouldn't have been able to sneak him into the castle."

"Oh? Which passageway?"

"Honeydukes." Harry said.

George snorted. "The Dark Lord passing through Honeydukes, oh what I wouldn't give to see that. Did he stop to look at the assortment?" The Twin's faces split into trademark grins as they imagined it, and Harry decided to tease them a bit.

"Still have the box of chocolate he brought for me from there…" he airily said, and laughed when they choked. "What? He **can** be really romantic. Though don't tell anyone I said that to you, he'd probably… well damn. Actually, I think the best thing he can come up with is punishing me very thoroughly…" Harry mused before grinning at the two. "In that case, please do spread the news around…"

"Romantic eh?" George asked, and they started walking on both sides of Harry, each swinging an arm around his shoulders while they leaned in with a twinkle in their eyes. It was scary how they looked like identical little devils right now. He would definitely introduce Devaki and Dyanira to them when they were gone from Hogwarts. "Any details you want to share?"

"So you're not… freaked out? Telling me to be careful?" Harry asked, unsure.

"You love him?"

"Very much so." Harry admitted with a strong voice.

"And you think he loves you?"

"I know he does."

"Well, there you go, I don't think it's our place to do anything but support you two, right George?"  
"Right Fred, you're absolutely right."  
"I know, thank you for telling me."  
"You're welcome love…"

"Love?" now it was Harry's turn to be shocked as Fred and George leaned in and pecked each other on the lips… right above Harry's head.

"Hey, can you do that somewhere else?"

"Says the one who was snogging his boyfriend,  
"In front of us,"  
"Hardly a minute ago?"  
"Hypocrisy is what that is called,"  
"We believe."

"Yes yes, I understand." Harry laughed, pushing them away.

"So, details? How did you meet? I believe that you were quite distressed when He returned last year."  
"Traumatised." Fred nodded with a serious face.  
"Breaking out in tears and whatnot…" George added dramatically, pretending to faint with a hand on his forehead.

"Shut **up**." Harry grumbled, glaring at the mischievous expressions they wore. They finally reached the Room of Requirements, and the Twins watched with fascination as a door appeared. Harry guided them inside and sat down on one of the soft green couches in the room of, which had still remained like it had been when he had last seen it, as Marvolo's quarters. Harry wondered what magic his lover had used to make it stay this way permanently, even if the man himself wasn't there.

"This room is not on the map." George remarked with wonder.

"Yes, I know. I didn't discovered it myself either. Marvolo found it when he was at school here. The Dark Lord." He clarified when he got two confused looks.

"Oh. So he told you about it and then you what… thought you needed your own quarters?"

Harry laughed. "These aren't** mine**. They're his. He's kind of living here at Hogwarts. It's the only place where you can apparate in or out, apart from the Chamber of Secrets. Although I suspect that some of the wards are down… we travelled through them yesterday evening and nothing happened, no shock, no alarms… he must have meddled with them, or given someone else the task to do that.

"Wow, that's… impressive. Doesn't Dumbledore know of the existence of this room though? What if he wants to use it?"

"Marvolo did something with the entrance… I don't think anyone can enter without his permission right now. I've never seen Dumbledore hang around on this floor though, so I don't think he knows of it."

"Hmm… are you stalling on those details you promised on purpose?"

"I never promised** anything**." Harry sighed, knowing it was futile to argue with these two. Still, to tell them how he and Marvolo got together was rather embarrassing. "How much do you know about my home situation?"

"We know you were starved and locked up." George answered, his voice laced with guilt. "I'm sorry Harry, really, I don't know why no-one ever helped you get away there… although we thought it was your only protection against the Dark Lord to return there every summer, there is no excuse for never trying to change your situation. It must have been horrible."

Harry laughed humourlessly. "It wasn't your fault. Never think that it was. It was, however, slightly worse than not being fed or able to go outside. I was heavily abused there. The worst thing is that I suspect that Dumbledore knew all along. I tried to tell him about how bad it was, but he waved it away. Now I'm not so sure anymore that he didn't know exactly what they did."

"We'll kill them." Fred said, his face twisted in rage.

"Who?"

"We'll start off with the Dursleys,"  
"Then Dumbledore,"  
"And then everyone else who knew and had the power to stop it but didn't."

Harry stared at the ceiling, sunken in thoughts. "He got me out of it. Marvolo, that is. Because of the resurrection ritual, he shared my blood, and thus my mother's sacrifice. The wards around Privet drive could not stop him anymore. I remember the first time he came. I was so… scared. Later, I wondered why, because truly, I had given up on the thought that I would survive long ago, if not by the Dark Lord, then because the Dursleys."

"He came to your house? Rang the doorbell did he?" one of them asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course not. He apparated straight into my room in the middle of the night, believing me to be asleep. He had his wand at my throat for a few seconds before he removed it and just sat down to stare at me. Well, I know** now** that he was staring at me. I had no idea what he was doing then-"

"Mentally undressing you?" Fred suggested, groaning in pain when George slapped him over the head.

"Anyways, I pretended to sleep, and that seemed to work pretty damn well, so when he appeared the night after that, and every night that followed, I just closed my eyes and evened my breathing out. I didn't think anyone from the Order would believe me if I told them that Voldemort visited my room on a nightly basis."

"And so, he'd come to you to **stare** every night? Didn't he have, you know, anything better to do?"

Harry blushed and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Well, one evening, Dudley had beaten me up severely, and I think I passed out from the pain. I awoke to a greenish glow and a warm, fuzzy feeling, and that's when I realized that he was healing me. First time I dared to peek through my eyelashes as well to look at him. I instantly fell in love of course…" He laughed when they gave him a weird look. "Well okay, I didn't love him yet then. But during the following weeks, I kind of grew on him. He started… started touching me… and… ahum… I didn't really mind." He awkwardly said. "Only when one night, he didn't show up, and I was worried out of my mind, did I realide that I might have feelings for him that I shouldn't have. He didn't visit me several nights in a row, and when finally, he did, I was so relieved that I forgot to pretend to sleep. That's when we started talking. It was strange. Very… intimate, and yet it felt so **safe**. I don't know how to put what I felt in words."

"So. During this summer, you weren't at Malfoy Manor at all, were you, Harry?"  
"Hmm, I believe our favourite Savior,"  
"jumped in the arms of his knight on the white horse,"  
"and spent a considerable amount of time,"  
"being** courted**."

"Well, if you** insist** on knowing all the details," Harry said with a sly smile. "The courting part didn't take all** that** long. Apart from those weeks that he visited me, it hardly took a few days, actually."

"I had never thought you to be such a rash person Harry…"

"It wasn't that hard of a decision to make… he was just… right for me."

"Pun aaaand… pun." Fred airily commented before cracking up under Harry's glare.

"Didn't I tell you to shut** up**?"

"When do I ever?"

"Let's see… **You** are a Death Eater. **I** am a step up. So when I command you to do something, you should follow my orders blindly…"

"Damnit." The Twins muttered at the same time. "So, how long did it take exactly before you… submitted to him, if you follow my line of thoughts?"

"Frankly, I think it's quite disturbing that I** can** follow your line of thoughts." Harry told Fred, who pouted. "Would you be disturbed when I told you that it was him who submitted to me first?"

The gobsmacked looks were priceless, but Harry hoped it would be worth the punishment he'd get when Marvolo would ever find out that he'd given away this particular piece of information.

"You're not joking…" George hesitantly said after having studied Harry's expression for a minute. "You're really not joking…"

"No, I'm not."

"That is… I never… I never thought that** The** Dark Lord would… bottom."

"Only sometimes." Harry admitted. "So. Now I've told you my story… what's yours? When did you get together?"

"Only recently." George ruffled Fred's hair and gave him an affectionate smile that was immediately answered. "We fell in love some time ago, but both of us never dared to admit it out loud. Then, one night we were just lying in bed and chatting, and **someone** decided to assault me."

"As if you cared. It was just a very soft kiss, after which you practically devoured me." Fred huffed.

"Perhaps you'd like to share the details later." Harry hastened to say, before the two of them would end up in a lover's quarrel, or worse, in each other. "It's far past midnight so we'd really better head back to Gryffindor Tower."

"Good idea, my Master." Fred winked, and gave a ridiculous bow.

How was he ever going to survive the two of them?

* * *

Marvolo sat in his chair, outwardly relaxed, but he was actually strangely nervous. He had always shied away from Muggles. He knew that they were not all like the children in the orphanage of course, but personally he had never received kindness of any sort from Muggles and thus he had mixed feelings about suddenly conversing with four of them. He was mainly listening while Rosier and Rodolphus explained the magical world to them, and observed the reactions. He forced himself to put his personal feelings aside. This was the future. This was what he had strived for. No more hiding. If he had to believe these people, then the world was ready for magic. The most peculiar thing though, was that they even agreed on the fact that magicians should be ruling this world. He'd definitely not seen that coming.

"You're awfully silent." The girl, Sarah, cheerily said, cocking her head. "What's the matter?"

"I'm impressed that you seem to take this so well."

One of the men shrugged. "I don't see why there should be a problem. We work with so many things of which we don't understand how it works… why not magic? I'm sure that it will be beneficial for both our communities if we weren't separated anymore. Less poverty and less illness for us, more freedom for you. Perhaps magical people could sort out the mess that this world has become. Our governments sure can't. Of course, there'll be groups of people who will be scared or not understanding in the beginning. I reckon that you will have a tough nut to crack with a lot of religious people who see witchcraft as evil, but you have lived among us for millennia. Surely they will see reason when they notice that your lot has not suddenly emerged from the depths of hell…"

"I certainly hope so. When we finally have freedom, I want to strive for peace. That will not be an easy goal if some narrow-minded fanatics become rebellious."

"Humans believe what they were taught by the ones they trust. Family, friends… You cannot suddenly expect them to forsake their beliefs just because you say that what their parents told them is not true. You will have to show them that you are trustworthy before you will be accepted." The woman, Vanessa, spoke up, who had mostly been a silent observer as well till now.

"What do you think the best approach would be?"

"Definitely **not** scattering through the country and performing magic out in the open without warning. That will only lead to panic. Approach the Ministry and the Royal House… Work together with them, then slowly let the media know of your existence. Only when the news has circulated a while and the first panic has died down, will people listen."

"Thank you for your advice. I must admit that I have not been keeping track of what happened in the non-magical world the last… fifteen years or so. I will have to gather more information about it before I can decide on the exact course, but the outline of your strategy is good."

"What have you been doing the last fifteen years then?" Sarah asked with curiousity.

"I… have been on a hunt for power, died in the process, spent thirteen years in spirit form and was reborn again at the beginning of this summer. Since then, I have tried to gather my old army again, while changing my ways to suit my original goals. I admit that, due to an overdose of meddling with Dark Arts, my mind was not exactly the most… sane. That has been restored though."

"You… died?" the second man said with awe.

"Yes Olliver. I died. Fortunately, I spent my teenage years searching for ways to become immortal, and I found several, one of which suited my tastes. I would not recommend it to anyone unless they were willing to forsake their soul though. Or a great chunk of it at least." He wondered if perhaps he was saying too much. After all, there were two of his followers in the room. But he found a great pleasure in teaching these people, to make them understand even a bit of his world.

"Are there more immortal wizards?" Philip asked with a frown.

"I've heard of two. One of them used the same method I did. The other used a more temporary one. Once he stopped using the object that he used to lengthen his life, he died. Don't think there is a way to become totally immortal. What I do is also cheating death more than conquering it. The first wizard to acquire the status of immortality did not go far enough. Death found him in the end, after several centuries. I hope I have been thorough enough." He lay his head in his hands as he stared in the fire, a frown on his forehead. Silence fell over the room, only broken by their breath and the crackling wood in the fireplace. Suddenly, he almost jumped because the girl stomped him against his leg.

"Hey, cheer up, I'm sure you'll be fine!" she said with a smile. He hardly registered her words, wondering if he'd really had just been… stomped… by a muggle. Damn, this was going to be more annoying then he'd thought. He glared at Rodolphus, who was trying his best to not burst out in howling laughter. Rosier gave the other death eater a look as if he thought the man was insane. Now he thought about it, Rodolphus probably **was** insane.

He couldn't wait till he was at Hogwarts again with Harry instead of in the company of his Death Eaters… although he had to admit that the Muggles were less bad than he had feared.

* * *

_Sun. 7 Sept.  
Dear Diary,_

_I can't believe how much has happened in just one week. I killed someone, I recruited people I had never expected to join us, I learned more in this week than__than I have in any ordinary __**month**__. I feel both anxious and excited __when__ I think about coming weeks. I sincerely hope that I will be able to live up to Marvolo's expectations. Eyolf doesn't seem too sure I can do it. Honestly, whenever that man speaks to me –which, __luckily__, is not that often- I feel like I know absolutely nothing. Yesterday, he searched me out to inform me that I will have lessons with him Tuesday evening. I'm not exactly looking forward to it, but I know it is necessary. I don't know how else I'll ever be able to steal those memories from such a highly secured office as Dumbledore's._

_Today, I finally had time to spend the evening in the Gryffindor common room, together with Ron and Hermione. I hope that the Twins will fix their minds soon so I can speak to them openly, but it was fun nonetheless. Ron slaughtered me at chess again and Hermione was working herself up over the OWL's. It was nice how normal it felt. I really needed that for a change. I borrowed a great book from Hermione too. Magic for Battle-mages, it is called, and it is full of really helpful spells. I don't have any time for that now, but I'll surely try to find it in Marvolo's library._

_Tuesday, I __will also __have my first lesson with Sameer. It's a pity that I'll only follow a couple more classes before I'll have to leave Hogwarts. He's sure to be better than Umbridge… Marvolo will only return tomorrow, and I find myself missing him more than I thought. He's not even __been __gone for a few days. I'm really growing too used to his constant presence. I can't expect him to be hanging around me all the time when we return to the Manor again._

_I just finished my homework, and Ron asked me to go flying. I haven't done that for quite some time, but I'm sure it will be fun. Being on a broom… nothing is better than that free feeling of flying. Or well, lying in Marvolo's arms__ does beat it__. Damn, I'm really beginning to sound too sappy now._

* * *

He shut the door behind him with a loud bang, and was quite please when his cape dramatically swished as he walked up to his desk and turned to face the class. The students were immediately silent and stared at him with awe. Impressing people never became tiresome. Sameer's sharp eyes raked over the faces of every student, remembering their looks, pose and eyes instantly. He could already tell that the two troll-like children of Crabbe and Goyle, both Inner Circle members, were even less sharp than their fathers, which said a **lot**. Following his instincts, he picked out a girl with bushy hair, whose intelligence radiated off her, a slightly chubby boy with a lot of potential, if just given the right push, a boy with a dark skin who had a fire in his eyes that reeked of revenge and power, hidden underneath a cool façade, and of course, Harry Potter. He also immediately recognised the ones he would have to escort out of the classroom with a bucket when he would begin teaching darker spells.

The class began to fidget under his penetrating stare, and thus he turned his attention to the classroom, which he had stylishly decorated with artifacts that he may need during his lessons. Skeletons of magical animals, books of which the pages whispered promises of death when the wind got hold of them and various instruments against enemies adorned the shelves. Finally, he began to speak.

" My name is Sameer Atiyeh, professor Atiyeh for you. I'm fifty-four, work at the Ministry of Magic and went to school in Saudi-Arabia, though my secondary education was here in England under a private teacher. That is everything I will tell you, and for most of you, this is everything about me that you will ever know."

Some people frowned at this, and he inwardly smirked. The little bastards who would try to pry in his past and private life had revealed themselves.

"Now, I am not entirely sure if you heard all the details regarding the departure of your previous professor. I don't care what the school board is trying to cover up, or to who people are pointing when it comes to identifying the perpetrator. I'll be simple and clear to you. Dolores Umbridge was killed, and she has none to blame but herself. This may sound harsh, but a Defense teacher should know better than to walk into a forest and start insulting the local inhabitants. Be glad that she did not have the chance to teach you this whole year, or else your education would have been seriously lacking. Yes, Ms…"

"Patil." The girl who had raised her hand said with a small voice.

"Ms Patil. You had a question?"

"Well, yes… Professor Umbridge was from the Ministry, right? Aren't you?"

"Yes, I was sent here by the Minister."

"But… you will not be teaching us the same?"

"No. No, I will not. Technically spoken, I should, but I don't really feel like it. Thus, I looked at the curriculum Hogwarts has had previous years and adapted the Minister's orders to that." He shrugged. "There was no law against it, and the thought that I would waste my efforts on trying to teach you as little of practical use as possible left a bad taste in my mouth. Good education should not be influenced by the whims of political parties. Besides, in the end, you are going to have to perform these spells for your OWLS's and NEWT's. How could you without ever practicing? That brings me to the the curriculum of this year. We will be focusing on strong defensive spells, medium curses and their counter, some heavy curses, and I will introduce a new, often neglected part of magic in the defense lessons: healing magic. I know this does not exactly stroke with defense, but I found that it is not covered in any other course you are taking, correct?"

"Well, we learnt basic healing charms in charm class." One of the Slytherin boys said.

"To what extent?"

"Healing small broken bones, cuts and mild burns."

"In battle, that may not be enough."

"Professor… do you honestly think that we might need this in** battle**?"

"Even if we live in relative peace right now, war has always played a major role in the Wizarding World. Perhaps one day someone will stand up with the power to stop it, to unite us all, but until then, we have to learn to defend ourselves. **I** will have to teach** you** to defend yourselves."

Sameer saw Potter smile and several Slytherins looked at him as if they saw him for the first time. They all knew who he was talking about. The other students smiled as well, but for the wrong reasons.

"Well, today we will start with a shield spell that is of a higher level than Protego. Seeing as how you all bought Defense books that you did not use more than one lesson, the school will provide the new books. These will arrive somewhere next week, so until then, I'll instruct you as we practice. Divide in pairs, please."

When they had done so, he took notice of who paired up with who, and frowned a bit when he saw that the opponents were very uneven in power with most pairs. He'd have to do something about that next lesson. "Very good. Now, before we start: there are two types of defensive spells. Can anyone tell me which? Yes, Ms…"

"Granger. Hermione Granger." The witch said, and he nodded. "There is the instant defense and the permanent defense. The _**Protego**_ spell is an instant one that only remains for a few seconds. More powerful instant spells are for example the _**Expecto patronum, **_which remains effective for a few minutes."

"Very good, do you know any permanent spells?"

"No, only that the most powerful are to be cast nonverbal or even wandless."

"Very good, ten points to Gryffindor. I realise that you have not started yet with both of those. I will be teaching you a weaker permanent shield spell. Although it is not much stronger than a Protego spell, it is infinitely more useful. Does anyone know… Yes, Ms Granger?"

"Although it does cost more magic to create it, once it is created, the caster doesn't have to think about it anymore and can just go firing off other spells. But you should be careful with it, because it automatically drains magic. If you keep it up beyond your magical capacity, your magic will run out, and the shield disappear."

"And with that, you immediately answered my next question as well. I am impressed." He said, pleased that he had been right about her intelligence.

"But what use is such a spell when it drains your magic?" another girl asked.

"You need not worry about it if you know your own strength. That is why we will practise it. Not only to learn the spell, but also to learn your personal boundaries. If my schedule is correct, then you have a double hour on Fridays as your last lesson, yes?"

Several students mumbled in agreement.

"Good, then I will use those hours to test your limits. You'll have the whole weekend to recover from it. Before we start, I'll check who's present. Raise your hand when I call your name."

He took the attendance list that lay on his desk and began to read the names. He was pleased to see that everyone who should be here was indeed present, and that other students who should** not** be there had indeed stayed away. Yesterday he had had a class with third-year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs , and a few second-years had managed to sneak in. Not that they had stayed long…

When he was done, he rolled up the sleeves of his robes. "let's begin!"

* * *

"Again." Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair, his despair growing with each spell he fired, and each harsh command that followed. He focused on the portrait of Talamh the dwarf. That the infernal creature was now openly laughing at him didn't help either. "If I thought that you couldn't do this Potter, then I wouldn't ask." Eyolf's voice boomed. "Now, **again**!"

Harry gritted his teeth to stop his angry reply, and instead used his anger to fuel his concentration. "_**Congelasco!**_" he shouted, and a blue haze erupted from his wand. For a moment, he thought that he had succeeded, but as soon as the haze disappeared, the spell was broken and the dwarf began to move again, this time shaking his fist at Harry while swearing.

"Better, but nowhere good enough. You will have to keep this up for about an **hour** Potter."

"I'm **trying**!" Harry said, pissed off. He glared at the assassin. "This spell will cost me weeks to master!"

"Well, it **can't**. Try harder. Only using your irritation and anger while throwing that spell won't help."

"Then would you** please **tell me what** will**?"

"Potter, tell me. Did you ever successfully perform powerful magic?"

Harry thought back and immediately thought of the time he had killed Bellatrix, and afterwards when he had tortured Umbridge. "Yes." He admitted.

"How did you feel then?"

Harry blushed. The first time his mind had been broken and he had been unable to feel anything. He couldn't try to recall that again, it was impossible. The second time however, he had been mostly aroused… there was no way he was going to tell Eyolf that. He tried to remember how he had felt then… He imagined Marvolo to be standing next to him, his hands sliding over Harry's skin, his voice whispering Parseltongue in his ear. He imagined the power he had felt over Umbridge and locked any other feeling away. There was nothing now but his target and his lover. He opened his eyes and raised his wand. He felt powerful dark magic in the air like an electric storm. He didn't even have to speak. A green flash alighted the room and a rushing sound filled his ears. When it was over, he came to his senses, and through unfocused eyes, he saw the shocked, pale face of Eyolf. In a second, it was replaced by an impassive mask. He looked back at the portrait, but only a charred, smoking picture frame remained.

"Well, damn." Harry muttered.

"So…" Eyolf began. "Whatever you did, it improved your power. Now you only need to fire **the right spell**. While destroying all the portraits might be effective to shut them up, it is not really what we are trying to accomplish."

"Then… do you have another portrait I can practice with?" Harry said sheepishly.

"Find one yourself, this will be homework." The man growled. "We also need to practice your skills on copying spells. Initially, the Dark Lord wanted you to write down the labels of the memories and later come back to copy those he needed. However, breaking into that office twice might be problematic, especially if **someone** slips up." Harry got the sudden urge to stick out his tongue. "Because of that, you will have to copy all of them yourself."

"But… didn't you tell me that, once I manage to put Fawkes asleep and freeze the portraits, you are able to enter the office as well? If you'll erase my traces, don't you also have the time to copy the memories?"

Eyolf glared at him. "I'm not your **servant** Potter."

"But theoretically seen…"

"Yes, I can. Very well, if you think you are **unable** to do so, then I will."

"I just want this to go right." Harry muttered. "He really needs those memories, if you copy them, there is just less chance that it** will** go wrong."

"Fine. Do you have a plan yet to acquire the password to his office?"

"Yeah, that's easy. The teachers know it, so I'll just have to ask Snape or Sameer." Eyolf snorted. "What?" Harry asked.

"If the teachers know, did it not, even for a second, occur to you that** I** might know as well?"

"You… you do?"

"I'm staff Potter, of course I know. Just ask me when you're ready."

"Oh." Suddenly, he felt incredibly dumb. "Okay." He mumbled.

"Now, cast seven small spells. Things you would normally use."

"What? Why?"

"You just cast a Killing curse Potter. Your wand remembers the spells cast before, but no more than seven. While you are at Hogwarts, the spell usage of minors is not checked, but make a habit of it to cast some harmless spells after using darker ones just in case the Ministry ever wants to check it." Harry nodded. He absolutely loathed his lessons with Eyolf –the man was undoubtedly a great assassin, but also a really bad teacher- but it were little tips like this that made them worthwhile. He cast a cutting curse, Lumos, Nox and some other common charms until the man nodded. "Good, you can go. Friday evening I want to check your progress on the freezing spell. Also, try to come up with three possible solutions to get that blasted bird to sleep. A sleeping spell won't work, it'll raise alarm the moment you point your wand at it, and the portraits will also notice something is wrong before you have the chance to freeze them."

"I will work on it. Perhaps the Twins have some useful invention." Harry said. "Till Fridays."

"See you then."

Tired, Harry walked out of the classroom and shuffled back to Gryffindor tower. He pushed the portrait door opened and yawned loudly. He just wanted to sleep…

"Harry!" _No such luck_. Harry groaned and stopped, counting to ten to prevent himself from hexing the person who dared to disturb him. A hand fell on his shoulder and he turned around to tell the person off when he suddenly saw that it was Fred… or George.

"Is there something wrong?" Harry asked when seeing the distressed expression of the other's face."

"No, no, nothing wrong. But you look like shit. What happened?"

"Lesson with our dear assassin." Harry muttered under his breath so no-one else could hear.

"Damn. Real tyrant?"

"Yeah, I wish Marvolo could teach me. He's a tyrant as well of course, but at least a good teacher."

"You just want another excuse to snog him. Anyway, I can see that you are tired, but George and I need your help."

Ah, so it was Fred he was speaking to. He swatted the teen's arm for his first comment, and Fred smirked. "What do you need me for?"

"Well… we thought that we might as well hurry up with our tasks. So… Ron and Hermione are now very confused."

"You broke the compulsion charms? Already?" Harry asked, impressed.

"Yes, we knew what to do, and thus we thought that we might as well do it now."

"How did they react?"

"Well, we didn't** tell** them that we were doing anything, so suddenly their minds got flooded with ideas and impulsions that had been suppressed before. Both of them were suddenly frightened and freaked out of course. George took them to an empty classroom and asked me to get you. You need to talk to them."

Harry sighed deeply. "Alright, I'll come."

He followed Fred out of the common room. The classroom was not far away, so within no time, they stood before the door. "Let's just hope that they will listen." Harry said, and the other nodded in agreement. He took a deep breath and pushed the door open. The sight he was met with, was not exactly what he had thought. For one, he had not expected Marvolo to be present, talking amicably with Ron and Hermione.

"Thanos!" he said, and gave him an incredulous 'what are you doing here' look.

"Hey, Harry?" Ron asked, and Harry saw that he was a bit pale.

"Yeah?"

"When did you plan on telling us that your boyfriend was a Death Eater?"

* * *

**Congelasco****:** Freeze.

Read and Review!  
xx GeMerope


	21. Part I Chapter XXI

"_Thanos!" he said, and gave him an incredulous 'what are you doing here' look._

"_Hey, Harry?" Ron asked, and Harry saw that he was a bit pale._

"_Yeah?"_

"_When did you plan on telling us that your boyfriend was a Death Eater?"_

Harry spluttered a bit and glared at the arrogant-looking wizard in front of him. Marvolo had raised an eyebrow and was wearing a shit-eating grin. Whatever had he done to deserve **this**? At least he hadn't revealed himself as the bloody Dark Lord yet… Harry could already imagine what Ron's face would look like **then**. Hmm… in fact, it might be a good idea to tell them, to get back on his lover.

"Harry?" Ron repeated, and Harry groaned.

"Actually I had meant to tell you once your minds were fixed. He turned towards George, not really feeling like asking Marvolo anything right now. "You **did** tell them, right?"

"**He** forbade us to tell anything." George said with an apologetic shrug.

"Of course he did." Harry muttered. "Thanos, what the hell?"

Marvolo hummed and a dangerous glint entered his eyes. "I thought you might want to tell them yourself, seeing as you so love to discuss **everything** with your friends…" Harry frowned, wondering what in Merlin's name he meant. "Like with Fred and George…" the man hinted, and realisation began to dawn upon Harry's face. He wanted to slap himself for forgetting their mind-link.

"I never promised to **not **share my personal life with them. And speaking of promises, why did you not keep **yours?**"

Harry smugly watched as the arrogant bastard was thrown off balance for a second. "I don't remember not keeping a promise." He finally concluded, and Harry snorted.

"Then where were you Saturday evening?" he asked. Of course, he knew where Marvolo had been, but he had been disappointed when his lover had sent him a message explaining that he had too much work and could not come back till Monday. Harry had let it slip, too relieved that Marvolo was with him again, but the man's promise of sleeping together with him on Saturday could easily be turned into blackmail material.

The wizard was silent for a moment and Harry was amazed –and more than a little guilty, but he crushed that part right now- to see that Marvolo shrank back when the memory of that promise came back to him. "Harry… I… I'm sorry… I just…"

"Forgot?"

"Yes. Forgot." The man answered meekly, averting his eyes from Harry's fiery emerald glare. "Can I make it up to you?"

The teen's anger deflated at the regretful look and he nodded. "A whole weekend Thanos. Dates are to be decided later, but you will be mine for a **whole** weekend."

"Agreed." Marvolo said, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"As if you had a choice." Harry muttered, but his insides were already softening. Why did his love have to look to cute and handsome, no matter what appearance he wore? "Oh, and of course, you understand that the little argument **earlier** is solved as well?" Harry said, grinning cheekily. The man scowled but nodded nonetheless. Harry was certain that he was very lucky that Hermione and Ron were in the room, because he'd never gotten away with all of this if it had just been Marvolo, him and the Twins, who were now full Death Eaters. "Good. Then, I suppose, Ron, Hermione, that I have some explaining to do. First of all… Fred and George overheard some rather disturbing conversations last summer while you were all staying at the Order's headquarters. George?"

The redhead nodded and crossed his arms while pushing himself off the wall with his back. He walked over to where Harry's other friends sat and looked down on them. "As you know, we have started to seriously invent some useful stuff. One of the most useful of these are the extendable ears. Before mom discovered them and hexed the doors, we were able to pick up a lot of the Order's plans, and also three private conversations from Dumbledore.

"You listened in on the Headmaster?" Hermione frowned, clearly disapproving.

"Yes, and after what we found out, we don't regret it one bit." Fred interrupted, glaring at the witch.

"Indeed. Two of these meetings were with Mundungus, and one with Alastor Moody. Especially the first two were rather… disturbing."

"In what way?" asked Hermione.

"In a way that the missions he gave Mundungus are no things that he would ever discuss openly with the rest of the Order. Obtaining objects through less than honourable means, disposal of both opponents and allies whom he can't trust or have… expired their usefulness. I could forgive him the first two. It **is** war after all, but killing people he doesn't need any longer is just… wrong. Apparently he also has some grand scheme to gain more power, but he didn't want to discuss that there."

"But overall, it's nothing the Dark Lord doesn't do either."

"The Dark Lord has a good goal. He wants change, real change. I don't think that Dumbledore is wholly evil or anything, but he doesn't have the right ideas, and will do anything to be proven right." Harry interjected.

"But what **is** his goal? And what is the Dark Lord's? I thought he wanted to rule over all Muggles?"

This time, it was Thanos who answered. "The Dark wants wizards to rule, it is true, but not by enslaving Muggles, as Dumbledore had you believe. We are getting connections in the Muggle world right now, to see how Muggles react to the revelation that magic exists. The ones I've met reacted pretty well. Muggles are making a mess of their own world. Wars, corruption, even pollution of the environment and 'incurable' diseases are things we can help them with if we cooperate with them. They just need the right leaders. Wizards are more powerful than Muggles, and generally have better insight in how this world works. We are fit to rule."

"And Dumbledore?"

"He believes we should be even more separate than we are now, not interfering in the Muggle world at all, except for people who marry Muggles. But even then, he wants those Muggles to either cut off the ties they have with their remaining Muggle family or live with the large secret of magic. I… **we**… don't think this is right. There is no reason why magical people, and also magical creatures, should hide like cowards in a separate world. I don't know his reasoning, but it is not a world I would want to live in. What we have now is bad enough."

"Still, I can't believe that the Headmaster would do things like killing his own people only to reach that! It's not possible! I mean… right?" unsure, she looked at them, and Marvolo conjured up a couple of chairs, taking a seat himself and gesturing for Harry to do so as well. Harry slumped into the seat and chewed on his lip, wondering how he could convince them.

"He would. He **does**." Harry tiredly said. "What's more, he manipulates the minds of people to ensure that they follow him. You too had some weaker and some stronger compulsion spells in your minds. Fred and George broke them just before they brought you here."

"So that's what it was…?" Ron asked, looking tense and afraid.

"What exactly did you feel?" said Marvolo, leaning forwards a bit.

"Flashes of… dark thoughts. Doubting feelings… the urge to…to run to the library and look up all the knowledge I've been lacking these years because I avoided certain books." Hermione answered while Ron was still thinking

Harry laughed. Of course the most suppressed urge of Hermione would have to do with dark books. "And you, Ron?"

"I don't know. More of the same… without the library of course." he gave Harry a weak grin. "but suddenly, I wondered if I was following the right path… it scared me, I never had a doubt about what I did, what I believed in, and yet now I can't help but be unsure about everything. I also noticed that before, I felt the urge to keep pushing you to do what I thought to be the right thing and to help you achieve it. I thought that was just me, that it was what I wanted."

"But?"

"I dunno… it suddenly seems kind of stupid to demand of you that you throw yourself head first into adventure without thinking." he sheepishly finished. "And if it's true what Thanos said… then I really think I've been following the wrong side. But those Muggles… how did you… introduce them to magic? Just… walk up to them and transfigure something?"

Marvolo smirked. "Not exactly. Went to a random pub, befriended some of them, and after a month of holding conversations, drinking together, gaining their trust and such, tell and show them. It's all about the way you reveal yourself." Okay, perhaps he hadn't done all this himself, but it was how his subordinates had operated, and it had worked just fine…

"And they… accepted that wizards should rule the world?"

"Pretty much…" he airily answered, leaning back into the chair again, crossing his legs and folding his arms. Harry quickly looked away… Marvolo just looked too dominant and sexy right now… "They agree with our views. But to get back to the subject… the compulsion charms on your minds are broken now. But you, Mr Weasley, also have memory locks in your mind. It is up to you to decide if you want those removed or not."

Ron looked like he was thrown off balance. "You mean… someone erased my memory?"

"Yes, **someone**…" Marvolo sneered, irritated that the boy didn't immediately know who obviously was the culprit "who highly profited from keeping you docile."

"And why wouldn't I want those memories back?"

"That's not it… breaking memory blocks not only invades your privacy, but is risky for your mind as well. One mistake could severely damage it."

Ron audibly gulped, but then got a determined face and bravely said: "So be it. I'll take the risk. I won't have somebody playing with my thoughts."

"Gryffindors." Marvolo grumbled. "Fine. I can do it now, if you want to."

"You?" Hermione suddenly asked with surprise. "You can break memory charms? But… but that is highly advanced magic! Only an incredibly powerful wizard can do that properly."

"And I **am** an incredibly powerful wizard." the Dark Lord sneered.

"Hey someone is waving at you… Oh look, it's your modesty flying out of the window!" Harry remarked, throwing a lop-sided grin at the man, earning himself a death glare. "Oh come on, don't you have this thing called **humour**?"

A warning hiss filled the room and Harry rolled his eyes, got up and plopped down on Marvolo's lap.

_No need to get all defensive…_

_Oh, finally learned to control this?_

_Huh? Oh… I guess… it worked before, didn't it?_

_Yes, but you never opened the link yourself. _Harry blinked, surprised by how easily he had been able to worm his way into his lover's mind. _I'm glad_ he heard, and was confused for a moment.

_Why, because this way, you can now know what I'm thinking __**all**__ the time?_

_**I**__ already could,_ the man said on a smug tone, and began to stroke one of the teen's thighs, not caring at all about the other occupants. _No, I'm glad because this means that we've become so close that our own minds do not feel the need to throw the other out anymore. We are, in a way, almost one. Of course, my Horcrux inside of you helps._

_The part of you inside of me… that sounds either incredibly cheesy or horribly perverted..._

_Go with cheesy… I can do perverted anytime. I'm only cheesy at rare occasions._

_My friends are getting nervous by our silence. Can you please get your mind out of the gutter?_

_Only if you'll get yours __**in**__ the gutter this evening._

_Promise._

With a victorious smirk that he hid in Harry's hair, the conversation ended, and he looked up to find Ron and Hermione staring at him.

"Well, as I said before, I **am** quite powerful. How was your other lesson with McGonagall about Gamp's law, by the way?"

_Subtle…_

_Shut it, horrid creature._

"It… was fine. She researched it and told us that she filed a complaint. She wants anything out of the curriculum that has not been 'properly researched'."

"As it should. Now, Mr Weasley… are you ready?"

"That… that depends… do I have to do anything?"

"No. I don't think you have any skills in Occlumency yet, so it should be no problem for me to-" he stopped when Ron looked first at him and then at Granger.

"Occlu-what?"

_And that calls himself a wizard…I don't think I like him Harry._

_It's not __**his **__fault that such stuff isn't taught to us._

_He could have opened a book once._

_I never did either._

_He's a Pureblood! He is supposed to know this! And you have __**me**__ to teach you now._

_Then it's not his fault that he doesn't have such an awesome boyfriend as I have._

Slightly calmed, Marvolo threw off his irritation at the mere stupidity of the creature in front of him and, wasting no more time on explanation, pierced the boy's mind, carefully searching for invisible walls with his magic. He only felt one, incredibly weak attempt to throw him out, but quickly evaded it and continued his search. Coloured flashes passed him and he hurled himself further in the whirling, disorganized mass. It was a wonder that the boy could even find his normal memories with a mind like this… He concentrated on finding intruding magic, and was not very surprised when a wave of very familiar energy washed over him. While his body remained utterly still in his chair, his presence in Weasley's mind stretched out phantom hands and began to dissolve the layers of magic he was met with until the final barrier laid bare.

A final push with his magic, and the wall crumbled. Quickly, before the shards could damage the regular flow of energy, Marvolo halted them and made them vanish. He turned away before the memory hit him… he would have enough time to see it once he was fully back inside of himself. He checked the thread of soul that connected him to his earth-bound body, keeping the magic that flowed through it steady, and continued his search until he'd found two more memory locks. Feeling exhausted, he carefully retreated, sighing in relief as he found his way back to the black space of his own, clear and organized mind.

Upon opening his eyes, the first thing he saw was Harry, who gave him a worried look.

"You're alright?"

"Tired, but fine." he reassured his lover, and then looked up to the Weasley kid.

"And?"

The boy just sat there with an ashen face, apparently not able to comprehend what he remembered. Then, just as Marvolo wanted to make a scoffing remark, Weasley's expression clouded with rage, and the boy sprung to his feet, beginning to pace. "That selfish, horrible person!" he suddenly exclaimed. "I can't believe it, I can't believe that I… that I **trusted **him!"

"Who…" Hermione began, and shrank back when a furious Ron turned around to face her. "Dumbledore! He… I... ARGH! Why did I follow him?"

"Don't look at me." Marvolo muttered. "I've hated him for years. Now, unless you feel the need to rant illogical nonsense some longer, could you enlighten us with your memories?"

Weasley calmed down somewhat and sat down again. "It's kind of hard to tell… there are a few memories… Can't you… I dunno… pluck them out of my head or something?"

"If you're referring to Legilimency, which I highly doubt, considering your knowledge of its counterpart, then yes, I could… 'pluck them out of your head' as you so **eloquently** state it. Harry and Ms Granger cannot, however. But no matter, I have a Pensieve, so if you just drop it in there…" He summoned the bowl he had brought with him and conjured a table to put it on. Expectantly, he leaned back, wrapping his arms around his lover's waist. "Well?"

"Uhhh… what is it?"

_I swear I am going to kill someone._

"A Pensieve." the Granger girl answered. "It can contain your memories. You have to copy them from your head and put them in the bowl."

"How?"

The witch sighed and pulled out her wand. "Just concentrate on the memories Ron. I'll do the rest."

_Now __**her**__ I like._

_Figures. She's too smart for her own good as well. I already thought you two would get along…_

_You don't have to sound so smug about it._

_What? A few months ago, I'd never have believed that __**you**__ would ever get to like a Muggleborn, much less one of my friends…_

_A few months ago, I was an embryo-like creature who wanted revenge on the one who killed me. Excuse me for not immediately wanting to embrace your friends._

_Still… you didn't need to kill Cedric._

_Can we talk about this later?_

Not waiting for an answer, Marvolo instructed the others on how to get the right memories, and after a few minutes, the bowl was filled with a shiny silver substance.

"So… we'll all go… look at my memories?" the boy asked, unsure.

"If you have any objection to it, then no, but I am dying to know what the old fool has been up to." he replied.

"Uhmm…" Weasley said. "Okay then."

Everyone took each other's hands and finally, Marvolo dipped his head in the substance, pulling the rest with him as well.

_When he opened his eyes, he was shocked to find himself in the corridor that led to the Chamber of Secrets. There was really no doubt about it, he recognised every little detail, from the skeletons that covered the floor to the green eerie glow that did not really have a clear source. For someone whose mind was so chaotic, Weasley had surprisingly vivid memories. The edges of everything were a little blurred, but overall, it was quite clear and accurate._

_He heard voices and started walking in their direction, not waiting for the five teenagers who had been whispering amongst themselves. He stopped after a while, just after he had turned a corner, and Ronald halted next to him. "Yes… I remember. The ceiling had just caved in and Harry had gone off to the Chamber, leaving me stuck with Lockhart… but then…"_

_The rest also caught up to them, and a frown crossed Harry's pretty face. "What is __**he**__ doing there? And for that matter, if he's here, couldn't he have helped?"_

_Marvolo hushed him, approaching the three figures that stood in front of a stone wall, made of large, fallen down rocks._

"_Professor Dumbledore! You have to help! Harry just went in there and… and Lockhart did something and now he's acting all strange… the force of his spell made these rocks fall down. There's a monster there!"_ _another, much younger Ronald Weasley frantically exclaimed. Marvolo couldn't see Dumbledore's face, for he stood with his back to him and thus he went even closer, circling around the two figures, not paying attention to the third one, who was undoubtedly Gilderoy Lockhart, a fraud and coward._

"_I know, my boy. Don't worry, this is a good opportunity for Harry to test his strength." Dumbledore calmly said, his hands clasped behind his back._

_A silence fell over the corridor, but after a few seconds Weasley's shock seemed to have faded._ _"W…what? Professor Dumbledore… I just said that there is a __**monster **__there. A basilisk, it's a basilisk! How is Harry supposed to fight that? Please…"_

_Dumbledore raised a hand. "Ronald, my boy… you have to understand. Harry is going to have to face far more dangerous situations. This will only strengthen him."_

"_**If**__ he comes out alive!" Harry's friend was livid now. "Why won't you help him? Don't you care at all?"_

Irritation flashed in Dumbledore's eyes, and his grandfatherly facade snapped as he bit: _"If he cannot do this, then he is of no use to me!"_

"_Use..? You… you are not Dumbledore… you can't be. He would want to protect Harry…"_

"_Sometimes, sacrifices have to be made." _The man was more talking to himself than to Weasley while saying this. _"And if my suspicions are true… then he will have to be sacrificed in the end anyway… but of course… I do not need seeds of doubt that can be planted in his head… and if he remains loyal to me, he can be of use some longer… yes, perhaps I will help him. Fawkes!"_ One of the never-used torches suddenly lit and from the flame flew a large, fiery bird, holding something that looked like a rag in his claws. _"And now… it will be best if you forget this conversation. And I can assure you that I will not make such a mess of this spell as our ex-professor has done. __**Obliviate!**__"_

_The memory blurred, but they did not have much time to ponder on it, as the scene was immediately replaced by another. This time, Marvolo found himself in Dumbledore's office. The sun shone brightly through the windows._

"_Mr Weasley... what can I do for you?"_

"_I didn't come here for me professor… it's Harry."_

"_Mr Potter? Is something wrong with him?"_

"_I'm here to plead for him. He said himself that he doesn't want to bother you with it, but I think this is too important. He can't be send back to his family professor."_

"_His family? Mr Weasley, that is the only place where Harry is safe. Safe from Voldemort."_

_Marvolo looked behind him and, noticing the rage in Harry's eyes, approached the teen, laying a hand on his lover's shoulder. Green eyes drifted towards his face and he pulled Harry to him._

"_His family is more of a threat to him than You-Know-Who! I had wanted to go to you earlier, but Harry always insisted that he did not want you to know. But they abuse him professor! I saw it for myself previous year, when Fred and George and I rescued him during summer. He had bars in front of his windows and a cat flap in the door! He was locked in there!"_

"_Surely, it's not that bad…"_

"_That's not all! I was willing to let it go because Harry wanted me to, but today… today, while we were changing into our Quidditch robes, I saw yellow bruises all over him! They were old, probably because he spent the last part of summer in the leaky Cauldron. But the bruises… they were all over him, and he confessed that his Uncle beat him…"_

_"Ron…" Harry spoke, breaking free from Marvolo's hold, staring at his friend, and Ron shrugged, a crooked grin on his face._

_"Hey, You didn't really think I'd let that slip, right? I forgot about it, but… I would do the same thing again."_

_"Harry, why were you so insistent on hiding it from Dumbledore?" Hermione asked._

_"I didn't, that's the point. I went to him when I'd just arrived at Hogwarts. He told me quite clearly that he didn't believe me and that, even if I spoke the truth, I should go back there because I was 'safe'. I told Ron to not tell Dumbledore anything because I knew it was useless."_

_While they had been talking, the memory-Dumbledore had been trying to convince Ronald that this really was the best thing, and that he should think of more important things. All of a sudden, Weasley jumped up and, with the typical courage of a Gryffindor, started shouting at the headmaster, spouting insults. In a flash though, it was over, and the memory suddenly went black. Marvolo felt a pull and a moment later, they were back in the classroom again._

"He must have replaced my memories… I don't remember going to his office, but I didn't have gaps in my mind either."

"He probably put an unimportant memory in its place, and he must have removed your remembrance of seeing Harry bruised as well. Was that everything?"

"I don't know exactly what he did, but now I also have recollections of seeing other signs. I don't think it has to do with the memory charms, but rather the other compulsive ones…"

"Signs?"

"Of abuse."

"Ah. He must have placed those compulsion webs on you right after the last memory he erased."

"That's probably true."

"Ron…" Harry quietly said.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you… I'm glad I have such a good friend."

"Friends. Hermione here as well, right?"

"Right." Harry said, smiling weakly at the beaming girl.

"Oh Harry…" she sighed. "I can't believe that we followed Dumbledore for so long…"

"So… what will you two do now?"

"I don't know. We are of course in the middle of a war, even if the majority of the Wizarding population is still denying that fact…" Hermione answered. "I definitely won't follow Dumbledore any longer, but the Ministry hasn't exactly been kind to you either, and the Dark…"

"What about the Dark?" Marvolo asked, raising an eyebrow at the girl.

"The Dark is still led by someone who likes killing and torturing. Someone who wouldn't have thought twice about murdering Harry last year at the graveyard." Granger bit to him.

_Ouch._ Harry dryly remarked.

_She is right, you know._

_She is not._

_And how would you know?_

_You hesitated to kill me then._

…

_Marvolo, When you made me read all those plans and things the Dark was doing, I found a page of your diary. Even then, you couldn't kill me. And during summer… it was you who saved me, even though for all you knew, you could be saving your enemy._

…

_Marvolo?_

_It still doesn't change everything I have done to you before._

_Things I have forgiven you some time ago. Please, don't dwell on it._

"So, don't have anything to say in defense?" Granger scoffed, unaware of their mental conversation.

"I will follow where Harry goes, and he will follow me." Marvolo said, aiming a piercing stare at her.

"But... you are a Death Eater… then, Harry?"

Harry shook his head. "I'm not a Death Eater… but I will unquestionably follow Lord Voldemort. No matter what he has done to me personally, the vision he has for this world is good, and I want to help him achieve it. Please, in the coming war, there will be no place for neutrality. In the end, it will come down to Dumbledore and Voldemort."

"The Ministry…"

"Is corrupt. The Dark is slowly infiltrating to right the wrongdoings of the Ministry, but there are still too many people who just want to fight for their own rights, not caring about anyone else, and people who just want to pretend that nothing is wrong, like Fudge." Harry continued. "You'll **have** to choose. There is not much time left."

"Time until what?" Hermione suddenly spoke. "Why do we have to choose so fast?"

Marvolo looked at the girl, wondering how much he should say, but he knew that these children would never run to Dumbledore with this information. Not anymore… the old fool had dug his own grave."Because we are on the edge of chaos. The unsteady scale of peace is wavering, and within the next few weeks will have dipped over to war. Britain will become a battlefield. There is only one decision left to make, and that is when and how Albus Dumbledore will meet his end."

"Give us a week then. A week to make up our minds on what we will do." Granger pleaded. His gaze flashed to Weasley, but the boy looked down at his hands. It was obvious that he was not ready to make such a weighty decision. But finally, when Marvolo had long averted his gaze, the boy finally spoke with a soft voice, utterly surprising the Dark Lord.

"Harry… I can't decide for Hermione, but you have my word. I said it before and I will say it again. I will follow you, whatever path you may take. You are my best friend, and I trust that you have good reasoning if you are even willing to forgive the murderer of your parents. I will join the Dark."

Harry smiled at Weasley. "Thank you, Ron. I'm glad I can count on you."

Everyone looked with expectation to Granger, but finally it was Marvolo who broke the tension. "Don't feel pushed in your choice Hermione. I can give you a week. Whenever you need information about anything, feel free to come to me or Harry."

She hesitated, but then shook her head. "No. I'm sorry that I was so unsure about this, but Ron is right. Who can we trust to do the right thing, if not Harry? I too, made a promise to you once. I will see this out till the end, by your side. If that is the Dark, then so be it. Thanos?"

Marvolo raised his hand. "Now you have chosen your side, you are my allies. I pride my sense of trust and truth. Before, you were Harry's friends at best, my enemies at worst, and thus, I could easily lie to you. Now, however, that lies different."

_Marvolo? Are you… will you…_

_Yes Harry. They deserve to know._

"My name is not Thanos, nor am I a Death Eater." he said, and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he could see the shock and fear reflected on the faces of Weasley and Granger as they stared in his blood-red eyes.

"I am Lord Voldemort."

XxX

Hermione sat frozen, trying to comprehend the words that the man before her had just uttered. Impossible. It was impossible. And yet the proof was undeniable. Thanos… no, **Voldemort** smirked at her and then looked at Harry. Her friend just sat there. Of course, this could not be news to him. Another thought suddenly flashed through her mind, and she did not know whether to be intrigued or disgusted. They were lovers. Her dear, sweet Harry had kissed the lips of one of the cruelest men on earth.

_But is he, really? _She thought. Whatever she had heard about the man's goals and visions had been a lie. Was it possible that her view of the Dark Lord's personality was so wrong as well? But what about the things Harry had told her, then?

_Yes, but what exactly has Harry told me? And how much of that was whispered into his ear by Dumbledore?_ She decided that she would wait with her judgment. As long as he treated Harry right, she would do her best to try and accept the man. Then, she laughed at herself. Judge him… as if she was in any position to do that. She had practically agreed to become a Death Eater in the past minute. She felt as if she should say anything to break the silence, but couldn't possibly think of a good reaction to his statement. What **could** she say? 'Prove it'? That wasn't really necessary…

"Apparently I have rendered you speechless." Voldemort said, a tone of amusement in his voice.

"I thought you looked differently." Ron blurted out, and Hermione wanted to slap him. Of all the damned things he could have said…

Harry laughed. "Yeah, normally, he's way more gorgeous."

Ron spluttered a bit while the Twins snickered softly. Voldemort rolled his eyes and scowled.

"I'm just saying… on that picture he looked… uhm…different."

"What picture?" Voldemort sharply said.

"You have a chocolate frog card dear." Harry said, smiling widely. "I still have it, if you want to see it."

"Oh, you kept it? Where?" the Dark Lord said, smirking, while Harry became red. They stared at each other for a while as if they were having a mental battle, and finally, Harry averted his gaze, blushing fiercely while Voldemort looked very smug about something. Hermione decided that it might be better to not ask where he had kept the picture… "Right." Voldemort continued. "I think we're done here, unless you still have questions?"

"Will we… do we have to be Death Eaters?" Hermione asked, hating how small and pathetic her voice sounded.

The man gave her a surprised look, but then shook his head. "No, I will not mark you. I take it that you still want to stay at school?"

"Yes, of course… why shouldn't we? Education is important…"

"I will leave Hogwarts in a few weeks." Harry confessed. "Fred and George will as well."

"To follow our destiny!" Fred chimed in.  
"Pursue our dreams!"  
"And become the world's best,"  
"Most annoying,"  
"Pranksters!"

"As long as you don't forget to give priority to whatever I want you to invent…" Voldemort growled.

"Of course, My Lord." George said, suddenly serious again.

"So... you'll really be opening a joke shop then?" Ron asked.

"Yep!"

"How'll you pay that?"

"We've got funds…" Fred said, pointing at the Dark Lord. "In exchange for our loyalty and some nice inventions..."

"And you, Harry?" Hermione said. "Why are you leaving?"

"To help with the war. I will openly support the Dark. It will be too dangerous for me to stay here at Hogwarts."

"But what about school? You'll need to pass your exams!" she said. "Fred and George already have their OWL's, but you…"

"If it eases you, I will make sure he studies." The Dark Lord replied.

"Hah. I can still remember last time you 'helped me with my studies.'" Harry gave the man a grin, approached him and wrapped and arm around Voldemort's neck from behind.

"I didn't hear you complaining… In fact, you seemed to be quite enjoying yourself…" the Dark Lord drawled, slowly stroking Harry's arm.

Hermione had not wanted to hear that… truthfully, she would probably have thought it very cute and would have tried to get more details, but… Harry and Voldemort… She shuddered. Not that the man was bad-looking, but she got the idea that it was not how he usually looked, even around Harry.

_Uh… I'm thinking about this too much._

She abruptly stood up. "Well, then I think everything is said. Ron?"

"Yeah… I'll just ask Fred and George to fill me in on the details of everything."

"Oh, and what details it will be!" Fred joked, but shut up when he got the most evil death-glare from Voldemort that Hermione had ever seen in her life.

* * *

The days flew by, and Harry didn't think he'd ever felt so exhausted. That is to say, if you only counted normal days, not including fighting with basilisks and trying to save people from the bottom of a lake… Not that this week was very normal. Eyolf apparently didn't think he was up to the challenge his task provided, and instead of waiting till Friday, he suddenly showed up at random moments and dragged Harry to an empty classroom to practice his spellwork. The teen really felt the urge to just run sometimes, but bit back the feeling, forcing himself to go on. It was easier now to let his magic take over, but controlling what he did was still difficult when he was in such a state, resulting in various other destroyed objects. The Killing curse just came to him too easily. Unfortunately… the other spells did **not**.

"How come that the Ministry doesn't hear about this? I thought they could track that Killing curse with the Trace, even at Hogwarts?" He really should have thought about that sooner…

"Potter, do you ever open these things called 'books'?" a sarcastic voice replied, and Harry instantly wished that he had waited until he could have asked Marvolo.

"I am quite familiar with them, thank you."

"Then read 'Hogwarts, a History' one day. It might enlighten some things. The Trace is blocked by the wards of Hogwarts. The Unforgivables are just spells, it's not like they can be specifically recognised by the Trace. True, every spell has a unique pattern, and the Trace is sort of like a tracking spell, but instead of persons, it tracks spells. Inside of Hogwarts, the Trace doesn't work, thus it will not alert the Ministry if you're throwing some darker spells."

"But aren't they stronger?"

"Concentrate on your lesson Potter, I don't feel like explaining this to a moron. How the Dark Lord puts up with you, and even **likes** your… company, I don't know." The way he spit out 'company' made mental question marks appear in Harry's head, but he had no idea what could be bothering the man. "I might have found out what your problem is with the casting of magic."

"Oh?"

"You have too much power and not the brains to understand what to do with it. Now, try again."

Harry gnashed his teeth together, wondering how anyone could come close to the border of passing from 'Snape-like' to 'worse than Snape-like'. If anyone had told him a week ago that he would come to hate someone's lessons more than those of the potions master, he would've laughed at them. Hard.

It was odd, whenever Harry spoke casually with the man, Eyolf seemed nice, albeit very distanced and secretive. Whenever he taught Harry though, he became the most irritating bastard on earth. The first lessons had been alright, but now they were absolute hell. He threw all his frustration in his next attempt to freeze the picture he had brought –a reminder of the Lockheart disaster that had been buried on the bottom of his trunk since Collin had given it to him- and watched the result with a mixture of irritation and relief. He hadn't gotten the spell right again, but at least now that damn picture was blown into pieces.

"Potter!" And… a certain assassin was livid now. Well, if he was going to give a lesson in 'how to be angry' then he could learn something from Harry. Not in for another round of insults, he threw a stunner at the man, but instead of getting the satisfaction of knocking Eyolf out, he suddenly had a knife at his throat.

XxX

"What. do. you. **think** you're doing Potter?" he hissed, and pressed the knife harsher against the skin. The insolence! Here he was trying to teach the boy so he wouldn't get killed, and angry retorts and a stunning spell were his thanks?

"You won't kill me." The boy said, but there was fear in his voice that didn't quite match the brave words.

"No, but I would like to." he bit. Eyolf removed the knife and shoved Potter away. "Well? Will I get an answer?"

To his surprise, the boy turned around and pounded a fist into his chest. Tried, really. He swiftly caught it, not letting go. Potter howled in frustration and tried to pummel him with his other hand, but failed when that one was trapped by Eyolf's other hand. He was about to scold Potter, yell at him or perhaps even hit back, but suddenly the boy's muscles slacked and he fell on his knees on the ground. Dumbstruck, Eyolf watched as Potter started to cry, wondering what the hell he should do.

"Potter?" he asked, unsure if the boy would react. A fist started weak attempts to hammer at his leg, and he crouched down, gently taking the boy's wrist to stop him.

"Why?" Potter wailed, raising his head, his eyes filled with a strange mixture of anger and despair. "Why do you do this? Why is **nothing** I do ever good enough? Why do you feel the need to… to make me feel as if… as if…"

"As if what, Potter?"

"As if I'm **worthless!**"

Eyolf contemplated on Potter's words… Had he? Naturally, he had been strict, and gotten angry when the boy did not meet his expectations. The progress he made was frustratingly slow, and so he had tried to push him over his own boundaries. He sighed. He wasn't used to dealing with children. No matter how the Dark Lord saw Potter, he was still but a child. He was unfit to be burdened with tasks that could be crucial in a war anyways, and with the exception of those odd magical outbursts, Potter hadn't really shown that he was up for it. Not that any fourteen year old could have been… Eyolf didn't know what to make of those sudden occurrences, where the magic suddenly filled the room in a deadly rush, and he doubted that anyone but the Dark Lord himself could help the boy control those. He sighed again and ran a hand through his hair before looking down on the boy.

"You're not worthless Potter. I never said that, I don't think so and I'm sorry if I made you feel like I did. The thing is that I just don't know what to do with you. I realise you are on a level that you should be on, and that these charms are perhaps too complicated for you. However, I **have** to teach you them to succeed this mission. You will fail without them, and as such… perhaps I pushed you too far." Harry sniffed, and Eyolf saw his anger disappear. "Listen Harry, you are the first person I ever taught, and I might not have tackled it right. This is frustrating for me too."

"How so?" Potter asked, confused. Eyolf gave him a wry smile.

"Because the Dark Lord will kill me if I don't do this right. He clearly told me what I had to teach you, and even though it is material that you would normally learn in your sixth year at school here, he expects me to teach you them in less than a month. I don't know **how**." He calmed himself down and while he spoke, he had to admit to himself that he had been unfair to the boy. All things considered, Potter had progressed better than he could have expected, even if he hadn't wanted to admit that. It had seemed like eternity to him, but he was used to the assassin training. Clearly that wasn't the best way to teach this child spells. "Also, whenever your power rises to the surface, it is as if other magic tries to force its way through, disrupting the spellwork you are trying to concentrate on."

"I don't understand. I haven't had any trouble in class, but both the freezing spell **and** the copying spell are just so **hard** to cast."

"It is because you are used to spells which only have to be cast in a split of a second. The charms I'm trying to teach you work slowly. It keeps feeding off your magic for a duration of time. it is a permanent spell, not an instant one. Usually, the magic of a magician is steady. It's constantly at one level. Yours has been disrupted somehow and constantly flares up. To master the freezing spell, you need to keep your magic at one constant level for more than twenty minutes. That should happen automatically, but with you, it doesn't."

"Then why didn't you just **tell** me?"

"Because I don't have a clue how to calm your magic. At first, I thought that it was because of your emotions, and tried to get you so far that you could control those. However, the situation hasn't improved. I think it might be something else, but I wouldn't know what. You'd better ask **him**."

"My mind was destroyed." The boy confessed, and Eyolf's head shot up to stare at Potter, who refused to meet him eyes. "The Dark Lord fixed it, but he said that some things were too damaged to be healed. It might be the reason…"

Eyolf breathed in through his nose. "Damn it." he muttered. "How did it happen?"

"Cruciatus curse." He grimaced, obviously not liking the memory. "Bellatrix Lestrange."

"Ah. Nasty thing, that is."

"What, the curse or Bella?"

"Both." The man grinned. "Now, this explains a lot, but I'm no expert at healing, and if **he** can't help you any more, then I'm certainly not competent enough." He looked away and stared at the wall, sunken in thoughts. His head suddenly snapped back after a few minutes when Harry cleared his throat.

"You're still here?"

"Uh... well… I didn't know I was dismissed."

"I can't teach you anything until your magic is cured, and I can't cure it. That means you're dismissed."

"Oh. Eyolf?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"For what?"

Harry shrugged. "You were just trying to do your job weren't you? I shouldn't have overreacted. Sorry for crying on you."

"Just don't mention it to that Dark Lord of yours and I'm sure I'll be fine…"

"About that…"

"Hmm?"

"He is… kind of connected with my mind and regularly checks what I'm doing… I'm pretty sure he's followed our conversation."

Eyolf swore. He was fucked.

* * *

"Don't kill him please." Harry said with an air of amusement. He leaned against the wall next to the door, calmly taking in his lover, who was pacing furiously. Not to his surprise, the room was full of broken furniture.

"He made you **cry**. **CRY!**"

"Other than what I thought, it wasn't really his intention to do so. I'm surprised though. You didn't storm in during the lesson."

"Perhaps I should have…" Marvolo stopped pacing and rushed towards Harry, enveloping the teen in a crushing hug, which was returned rather awkwardly. He'd never seen Marvolo this… emotional. Sure, he'd seen him when he was in rage, and full of lust, and also extreme happiness and content, but this desperation and worry was unsettling. His lips were suddenly attacked with feverishness, and as he kissed back, now clinging onto the other, he felt the tension leave the man's body. When they finally broke apart, Harry's legs felt like jelly, and he seriously couldn't remember how much time had passed. He'd found out some time ago that it was rather convenient to breathe through his nose during kissing to avoid 'breath gasps', but the downside of it was that he would get lost in the kiss and suddenly notice that it was three hours later.

"I had some business abroad. I couldn't leave in the middle of the convention… That's why…"

"That's why Eyolf is still alive?" Harry joked, and Marvolo gave him a playful glare.

"Perhaps now I'm back I'll be able to rectify that…"

"Right. Please don't. Anyways, what was the meeting about?"

"It was a gathering of the Ynysoedd Prydain Council, the Creature Council of the British isles There were representatives for Goblins, Vampires, Banshee, Dryads, Veela, Werewolves, Dwarfs, Elves… mostly two or three for every species, although there were a lot of werewolves because the clans do not answer to one leader, like the Vampires do."

"What are Dryads?"

"Tree spirits. They often keep Bowtruckles as pets."

"And you were there to get them to your side?"

Marvolo laughed and petted Harry's head. "No, I was there because I was invited by one of the Dwarf kings. I've made quite a lot of contacts while travelling the world in my youth. Was never able to get through to the Goblins, but what wizard can? One of the Dwarf Kings enjoyed my views on war tactics though, and I became their link with Wizarding Britain. Of course, my own wars consume a lot of time, and my contact with him watered down, but when he heard of my return, he immediately wrote to me and invited me for this meeting.

"You never mentioned it."

The man stepped back and sat down on the comfortable couch. "It's not that important to the Dark." he explained. "It was merely a social gathering, and as a guest, I was not able to participate, only watch. It was an honour, but of no real value strategically seen. I know on what other species I can fall back on from my recruitment during the first war. With the exception of the Giants and Werewolves, their leaders all remained the same, and, as most of the Giants have been chased from the British Isles centuries ago, they are no longer member of the council. The remaining Giants were hunted down by the Ministry right after my first war because they had supported me. After the rescue Mission in Azkaban, I sent a party of my Death Eaters to the Giants, who are hiding east of Belarus."

"And?"

"They're not back yet, but I hope that the current leader will agree with our views. Actually, I don't think it will be that hard to persuade them, they still hate the British Government, and Dumbledore did nothing about their situation either. I bet he'll try to convince them of his 'good intentions'."

"But why would he even try? Doesn't he realize that they'd never join him?"

"Giants can be fickle. They would of course never follow the Ministry, but if Dumbledore pretends that he does not agree with the Ministry's view on their kind, and gives them enough rare magical presents, then he might stand a chance… if, of course, I would not have been resurrected. There is no way that they'll run over to any other side than mine. I think that Dumbledore does not realise that I really will keep my promises to them and improve their situation."

"And the other creatures whose loyalty you are sure of… werewolves, vampires, several dragon species… who else?"

"The Dwarfs, the Atlantic mermaids, Dementors… most of the werewolf clans, yes, although only two of them actively help me. Dumbledore on his side, has the mermaids in the Black lake and a lot of Ghosts and House-elves. While the last don't seem like much, they have their own, very powerful magiuc. Even so, I also have the advantage that I can speak Parseltongue. Because of that, I have the support of the dragons, and some nests of Runespoors, Ahswinders and Occamy. Most of the Magical Creatures and Beings don't wish to mingle in this war though, feeling that it is not their war."

"What side are Veela on, actually?"

"Veela? Hmm… neutral, leaning towards Dark, generally… but some are of another opinion. Come, sit down. I want to talk with you about what happened during your lesson. I felt your emotions, but because of the distance, I couldn't quite understand what exactly was going on."

"To make a long story short: because my mind broke during summer, my magic was disrupted and now I can't keep it at one level for a duration of time. Therefore, I can't perform spells which take longer than a second to cast. Both the freezing and the copying spells require that. I'm not making any progress and both Eyolf and I got frustrated about it."

"And then you broke down?"

"Well… it's more that he is not used to teaching anyone, expected too much of me, was disappointed and took it out on me."

Marvolo got a dangerous glint in his eyes and rose, clenching his fists. "If he hurt you..." he started, but Harry cut him off.

"No, nothing like that. I just… I… I felt like how I did back at the Dursleys." Harry confessed, trying to stop his hands from shaking. "Worthless…" Angrily, he blinked back the tears that threatened to leak from his eyes again. He was NOT going to cry in front of Marvolo. He heard the rustling sound of robes when his love walked over towards him again, and he buried his head in Marvolo's chest, screwing his eyes shut. A hand lightly pressed against his shoulder blades.

"You don't need to hold it in for me, Harry…"

The teen just furiously shook his head and forced his tears back, taking deep breaths to calm himself until he was sure that he could speak with a normal voice again. "I never wanted to feel that way ever again." he confessed, sorrowful, but calm.

"I know. I still haven't forgotten that memory of yours…"

The silence that followed was loaded with tension and discomfort, and with a soft kiss to Harry's forehead, Marvolo broke apart again. Exhausted, Harry slumped down on the couch, lazily stroking Nagini's head when she slithered over to him and laid her head on his stomach.

~Hey girl~ he hissed with a tired voice to the snake who had just woken up by the sound of their voices.

~Hello. Have you seen my brother lately?~

~Yeah, he's still in Gryffindor tower. I couldn't very well take him with me to my lessons... Hermione told me that he became good friends with Crookshanks, Hermione's cat.~

~A cat? A **cat**? Has he lost his mind? By Vinata, he's a snake! He is supposed to eat the little furball, not befriend it!~

~What are you, his mom?~ the teen grinned.

~As good as! The imprisonment by humans made him go mad... this only confirms it!~

Harry watched the fuming, muttering snake in amusement before turning his attention to Marvolo, who was scribbling at some parchment. A peaceful silence fell over the room, lasting nearly twenty minutes, during which Harry had almost fallen asleep, before it was broken by a timid knock on the door. The teen sat up, staring at the door as a smiling blond girl opened it.

"Good evening." she quietly said, slightly bowing as she turned towards Marvolo.

"Good evening Ms Lovegood. Do come in."

The only thing Harry could do was gape as his friend approached him and sat down with a beaming face. "Luna... what?"

"Your boyfriend invited me to talk about his research and compare it to what I and my father found. For a Dark Lord, he's a real gentleman, isn't he?" she remarked, her eyes drifting to the ceiling. "Do you know that the wood there is inhabited by Fatae?"

"Yes, I am aware." Marvolo replied, getting up to join them by the fire. He waved his hand to make three steaming cups of tea appear. "Now, Ms Lovegood, what did you think of my findings?"

"They were amazing. So many missing pieces of puzzles were found now, thank you. I never knew that sand Erumpents also existed."

"Was there anything you could add to it?"

"Yes, especially on Nargles and Bowtruckles. Dad and I visited a Dryad village once, so we had ample time to study the little creatures."

The conversation would no doubt have been very interesting, if Harry hadn't already reached his limit, and he felt like he could feel asleep any moment. His gaze turned towards the fire that flickered merrily in the fireplace, and his mind drifted away. He would ask Luna about this later… now, he just wanted to close his eyes and rest.

XxX

A dull 'thud' made Marvolo look up, and he smiled when seeing that Harry had fallen asleep. Ignoring the girl for a moment, he got up and draped a blanket over his lover, laying the arm that had fallen down and hit the floor back on the couch.

"You are lucky to have him." Luna remarked.

"I know. By Salazar, I know."

* * *

Read and Review!

xx GeMerope


	22. Part I Chapter XXII

He had just been sprinting through the Forbidden Forest, Acromantulas at his heels, when he fell into a snake pit. He tried to order them to help him, but it was as if he didn't speak Parseltongue anymore, and they didn't listen. Instead, they kept hissing incomprehensible words as they dragged him down, immobilizing his arms and legs, winding themselves against his torso, their scales and smooth bodies sliding over his bare skin.

"_Harry…"_

He almost missed the voice through the hissing, but he couldn't do anything anyway. When trying to break free, the snakes only tightened their grip, suffocating him.

"_Harry…_"

Their coldness seeped through his skin into his bones, and even while he was panicking, a strange feeling of safeness surrounded him, as if this situation was familiar. He closed his eyes, and it was as if the cold bodies rubbing against him became more real.

"Harry!"

He registered light and groaned, opening his eyes a miniscule bit, peeking up through his lashes, seeing Marvolo hovering over him.

"I know you're awake."

He groaned again and turned around; burying his head in the hard armrest of the bench he had been sleeping on. Cold fingers travelled down his sweaty spine and scratched at the skin of his lower back. He felt hot and had trouble breathing, but through the dull bonking in his head, he was still clearheaded enough to notice the state he was in.

"Why am I naked?" he muttered drowsily.

"Because you're having a fewer and are burning up."

"Oh." Fever, that explained the nightmare. "And you are on top of me, without clothes either, because?"

"Because I'm cold, of course. I'm trying to lower your body temperature." He could practically hear the satisfied smirk in the man's voice.

"Of course… What time is it? I have lessons today."

"Oh no you don't." he turned over again to face Marvolo, who was frowning at him with displeasure. "You're ill, and are not to leave my watch."

Harry sighed. There was no use in arguing with this man. And frankly, he really didn't feel well enough to put up much of a resistance. "Can't you just heal me?" Harry muttered.

"Yes, and I will do so in a minute, but you will stay for observation, to prevent it from returning."

"You're worse than Madame Pomfrey." the teen grumbled.

"Hmm? What was that?"

"Nuffin." Harry mumbled after he turned around once more and smothered his face in the couch, thankful for the darkness.

"Come here…" Marvolo said and affectionately wound his arms around Harry's waist. The teen sighed and shivered slightly when the man's freezing body touched his feverish skin. Teeth scraped at Harry's neck and he whined, trying to struggle free when teasing nails ran lightly over his quivering sides, barely touched them. His breath grew labored as the bites increased, and the hands found their way under his body, stroking his stomach and sliding lower with an infuriating slow pace.

Just as he wanted to complain about being molested while he was ill, he felt pressure being applied to his balls, and his hips instinctively grinded into the hand that cupped him.

"Ah… M.. .Marvolo…" he slurred, arching his back.

He didn't get an answer, but instead felt the hand speed up, and he really didn't care how he looked as he kept pushing backwards to get more of that incredible feeling. It abruptly stopped, and he slouched down again, trying to catch his breath while his head spun, and he groaned when black spots danced in front of his eyes.

A cool, but sweaty hand clamped down over his forehead, and it took a while before he realised that the sweat was most likely his own, as his lover didn't perspire. A light blue, soft glow surrounded him and the spinning decreased until it stopped. Marvolo ran the healing spell over Harry's body until the teen felt fine again, although he was incredibly tired. He yawned and closed his eyes, for a moment allowing his body to wallow in the feeling of his lover, who was still lying on top of his back, now softly stroking his ribcage. After a few seconds though, he reluctantly rose, pushing Marvolo off him.

"I need to shower." he said. "I want to get this sweat off." Marvolo scowled and displeasure was evident in his eyes. Harry gave him a weak grin and brushed his lips against unmoving, cold ones. "Though I wonder if it will get me clean." he cheekily said, wondering how fast it would take for the hint to sink in.

In a blink of an eye he was tackled, but years of Quidditch training and evading Dudley had made him impossibly fast and agile, and he sprinted towards the bathroom section, giggling when a pair of arms finally managed to catch him. He was pushed against the tiled wall, but before his head could slam into it, a hand was already fisted in his hair, and he was pulled into a crushing kiss. He shuddered with excitement. They hadn't had sex in days, and apparently Marvolo didn't deal well with that –despite his rants about control…- Harry really didn't know how the man had survived his years in spirit form, and then more than two months in a body, while not having sex **once**. Then again, he didn't know how he himself had survived the years before he'd had Marvolo. It seemed another lifetime…

"Harry…" he heard an annoyed growl.

"What?" he breathed.

"You're thinking too much. How can I have mindless sex with you when you're reflecting on the time you were still alone and depressed?"

The teen huffed and rolled his eyes. Of course Marvolo would be looking at his thoughts. Stupid mind link. Getting a sudden idea, he conjured up images of his lover in some rather provocative poses, and immediately got swatted over the head because of it while he was laughing his ass off.

"You're a brat. But you're** my** brat, so I guess it's alright."

Harry beamed and wrapped his arms around the man, pressing himself close and sniffing up the tantalizing scent of death and blood that always seemed to hang around the Dark Lord, together with something that was completely unique and made his brains melt every time he smelled it.

"You have a neck fetish, you know that?" he muttered when lips latched onto his pale column. A grunt and a harsh suck were all the reply he got, and he leaned his head backwards, trapping the pale fingers that still cupped his skull between his head and the wall. Harry let his hands wander down, caressing Marvolo's back and bottom. He smirked when he slid his finger in between the man's buttocks and fingered the tight, puckered hole. A warning hiss filled his ears, but he didn't stop, instead pushing against it, scratching the ring of muscles. He was rewarded with a low moan, but knew that he was threading dangerous grounds when he felt a particularly vicious bite.

~Harry…~ Marvolo growled.

~Yes?~ He innocently asked.

~You're not going to top today.~

The teen scowled but complied and removed the finger. His lover merely smirked at Harry's expression, hungrily taking in the sight of the naked boy. Suddenly, Harry looked up in surprise as the shower started running, and he hummed, closing his eyes at the nicely contrasting feeling of the hot water and Marvolo's cold skin. For a moment, he was satisfied by just feeling the hands that wandered over his body, but then, he smiled wickedly and slid to his knees, curling his hands around the back of the man's legs. His mouth immediately found the rapidly hardening cock and he latched onto the side of it, slowly sucking his way to the tip.

Fingers gripped his hair again and Harry roughly swiped his tongue over the pulsing head. He grimaced at the initial taste when precum started to leak out, but soon the bitterness faded and was replaced by a far more pleasurable taste. The member swelled as it rubbed against the inside of his mouth, and soft, low groans could barely be heard above the sound of the rushing water. Fascinated, Harry watched as little droplets slid down Marvolo's legs fast, not hindered by any hair or unevenness. He drew back, looking up to his lover, whose chest was heaving as he tried to control his breath. Harry softly trailed the side of a bony knee with his finger pads, marveling at the smooth texture, before moving his hand to touch the wet, leaking head of his love's member.

Though he would certainly not ever admit to it, he rather liked to feel the heat of it in his mouth, and thus he gave it a few slow, teasing licks before swallowing it down, his cheeks hollowing as he harshly sucked. The water drowned out most of the sounds, but Harry found that it couldn't completely cover the moans and hisses which were the result of his ministrations. Fingers dug in the back of his head, but the teen didn't care, merely strengthening his own grip, pulling Marvolo's hips closer.

Abruptly, he got yanked away, and he quizzically looked up, amused when seeing the sight his lover made. The man was obviously trying to pull himself together and quite failing at it. Dark red, lustful eyes tried to focus on his face and he was swiftly, harshly, turned around and pressed against the bathroom wall. Harry hissed at the feeling of the barely warmed tiles and squirmed, trying to escape, but he was trapped by the hard chest that pushed against his back. A fleeting touch was bestowed on his nipple and he whimpered, burying his face in his arms, which he pressed against the wall. The touch returned, more fervent now, and the teen shivered with excitement when feeling a slick, throbbing hardness pressing into his cheeks.

He grinded his ass against it, moaning when Marvolo's erection slipped in between his buttocks and prodded the tight ring of muscles, slipping in a bit.

"Marvolo?" he asked, figuring that in a few minutes, he wouldn't even be able to remember his own name. After a growled 'yes', he continued: "Methamorphmagi can also change only parts of their body, right?" Another grunt. He bit his lip, mustering up courage. "Your tongue was rather wicked when you were a dragon." he finally managed to choke out with a flaming head.

It was silent for a while, and he was just wishing that he hadn't said anything, before he heard a series of chuckles and a long, thin tongue was dragged over his spine. "Any other wishes?" he heard, and Harry had to force himself to breath at the heavily seductive tone. He only whimpered as he felt his lover slide to his knees behind him, and he cried out loudly when he felt his cheeks being parted and teeth nipped at his entrance, nibbling on the ring of muscles.

"Please, please please…" he begged, and his lips formed a silent 'Oh' when the long, forked tongue slithered inside. "Fucking amazing…" he muttered, trembling as he restrained himself so he wouldn't push his behind against his love's face.

The tongue twisted and turned, licking a fiery trail over his inner walls. A hand snuck in between his legs to cup his balls, roughly fondling his sack. Harry's own hand went down as well to relieve some of the strain on his aching penis, and he was not at all surprised when it was completely slick already. Precum dripped down and covered his palm, electric surges shot through him with every jerk and lick, and much sooner than he wanted, he cried out as he came.

He sat down, his head swimming with euphoria and tiredness, but when he turned and saw his lover through half-mast eyes, he knew this was far from over. "Grant me some recovery time will you?" he slurred, and hugged the kneeling man with ungraceful movements, rubbing against him as if he were a pillow.

XxX

Marvolo rubbed his nose against the wet strands of black hair, pulling away a bit to get a look at the hazy, drooping emerald eyes. A thrill ran through him as he pressed the boy against him, knowing that Harry was** his**. He gently began to massage the teen's back, noting with interest that Harry arched his spine, not unlike a cat that was being stroked. He licked the shell of Harry's ear and unwound the arms that clung to him. He took his lover's hands and pulled him to his feet, shamelessly roaming his eyes over the wet, dripping form, and thought to himself that he should shower more often with him.

Harry let himself be pushed backwards, still not very aware of what was happening, but Marvolo simply couldn't wait any longer, turned the teen around until his back was turned towards him and grabbed his hips. He remembered barely in time to lubricate the boy and made quick work of it with a spell before finally pushing inside, groaning as at last, some of his tension was relieved. He shuddered, bending forward and wrapping his arms around Harry's torso so they were pressed completely together. He moved his hips with quick, shallow thrusts, reveling in the feeling of moving inside of the hot, tight flesh walls. He let his thoughts drift away, losing himself for a moment as his climax came closer. He wasn't aware of his own moans anymore, or Harry's, as his thrusts became faster and harder.

He quietly hissed Harry's name when his seed finally flowed out of him, and he bit his lip when the orgasm was prolonged as the little minx clenched his muscles around him. He noticed that Harry was half-hard again, and made quick work of it with his hand, kissing the teen deeply, swallowing the muffled cries as hot fluids slicked his fingers.

Hands cupped the back of his head and the kiss turned into a wild battle. Marvolo raised an eyebrow… he wouldn't have guessed that his tongue was** that** much of a turn-on to his young lover. Not that he was complaining… He quickly won the fight of lips and teeth and softened the kiss until they broke apart.

"Circe…" Harry said, collapsing on the bathroom floor, covering his face with an arm. "That was amazing."

"I'm glad you agree…" Marvolo smirked, licking Harry's semen from his skin. His smirk only widened when he noticed that he could see the teen's hole from this angle, which was still red and twitching.

He transfigured some of the water in a bar of soap and gently ran it over Harry's body to clean him. His heart gave a little jolt when Harry removed his arms and looked at him with blatant love. He could feel it too, rushing through the link, and when he finished washing them both, he gathered his Harry in his arms and was content to just sit there for a while.

* * *

Completely spent, Harry collapsed on the bed and hugged the sheets, spying his lover through his lashes as the man stretched before picking up his clothes. When done dressing, Marvolo walked over to the bed and sat down.

"We need to talk about the condition of your magic. I'd wanted to speak with you about it last night, but I thought you needed your sleep. You told me that your magic is disrupted?"

Harry pouted at the sudden business-like tone and dragged Marvolo down for a long kiss. The man yelped at first, –though he would never admit to it of course- , but roughly shoved a hand in Harry's hair when he recovered from the shock. Only when the teen was satisfied, did he release the man and closed his eyes, sighing as he relaxed.

"Yeah. Ever since my mind broke, I can't keep my magic at one level, rendering me unable to cast spells that require more than a moment to cast."

Marvolo straightened, and when the boy peeked at his face, he saw a brief, smug smile that was directed at him, before the man became serious once more.

"I thought it over last night, and I have several theories. The first is that your inability to cast those spells has nothing to do with your mind, but that it is simply that you are inexperienced with them. However, it does not explain why your magic is so chaotic while normally, one's magic strives to keep at the same level so it is easier to control. My second theory is much graver. It is possible that, when Bella cast the Torturing curse on you and several things broke in your mind, that the restraining walls also did."

"Restraining walls?" Harry asked confused.

"Your magic is contained within you, in a magical core. You magical core can be compared with your wand, or, perhaps a better example, your vascular system. It runs through your body, but is also contained within veins, like your blood. Unlike veins though, the walls of those 'tubes' are made purely by the power of your mind. They're not tangible or even perceptible, other than with magic. Your mind broke down, so it could be that these walls broke down as well, leaving your magic without direction."

"So, that's more likely to have happened?"

"I don't know. As I said, it's just a theory, and it also has no explanation for several other points. Having a fractured Sianelu System should make you unable to control casting magic at all. Except for sudden outbursts that seem to come from everywhere in your body, you wouldn't be able to cast spells and be little more than a Squib."

"Do you have another explanation then?"

"Hmm, yes… one… well, half of it anyway. After your breakdown, it could be that your mind wanted to stop your magical flow for a while to heal. Such a thing happens frequently and is often falsely referred to as a magical coma."

"And… why is that not a good name?"

"A magical coma is a state where your magic decides that is it better to shut your body and mind down for a while so it can heal. The only thing that keeps you going in such a state is your magic. If your magical flow stops, the exact opposite happens. Your body and mind keep functioning, but repress your magic for a while so it can replenish or stabilise."

"Hermione." Harry automatically said and laughed when seeing Marvolo's confusion. "Sorry… you just sounded like her."

"Are you comparing** me** with a… a…"

"Yes. Get over it." The man glowered at him but then sighed deeply. "You're making me soft Harry… anyone else would have been begging for death by now." he admitted and smiled, ruffling Harry's hair affectionately. The teen wondered how he could look so cute while at the same time speaking of torture… "So… to get back to the subject at hand… what was exactly 'half' about your explanation."

"Well, you** haven't** stopped your magic flow. It just looks as if you're desperately trying to do so, but don't succeed. The level of your magical energy keeps flaring back up before you can repress it."

"So something tries to stop my 'healing period'?"

"It would seem so, but I wouldn't know what. And it's called an Ibu."

"A what?"

"Ibu. It's Ancient Egyptian for 'purification tent'. The Egyptians have one of the oldest and richest magical cultures, did you know?"

"Oh, yeah. Ron's brother, Bill, works as a Curse Breaker in Egypt… or well, worked. I believe he came back during summer to join the Order."

"Damn. That is inconvenient. Any hope of getting him over to the Dark?"

"No idea. I don't really know him. You should ask the Twins or Ron."

"Will do. Anyway, as for your condition… those were my theories. Is there anything that can help you?"

"Well… that third one. When you spoke about something else repressing it, I had to instantly think of your Horcrux inside me… Does it need my magic to survive?"

Marvolo's eyes widened and he cursed. "I hadn't thought of that. No, it doesn't need your magic to survive, but it helps it a great deal to bond with you and for it to remain sentient. Indeed, I think that it could be the reason… You really need some time to heal, but I can imagine that my Horcrux doesn't want to be cut off from your magical core. It won't be pleasant for it."

"What will happen to your soul then?"

"You can compare it to someone who has been Kissed by a Dementor, and although this would be only temporary, I don't think it will like it very much."

"… Is there a way around this then?"

"No. Not unless you are satisfied with only being able to control part of your magic for the rest of your life."

"How long would the healing take?"

"Perhaps a week or two, maybe less. Some time has passed already, so I imagine that some of it has already healed, albeit very slowly, and I also immediately reconstructed your mind, which will help you control yourself during your Ibu."

Harry exhaled slowly through his nose and stared up to the ceiling. Two weeks without magic… well, it wasn't as if he couldn't deal with that, but it would severely disrupt Marvolo's plans… But if he didn't do it, he would never get anywhere near Dumbledore's memories.

"Is there any way to speed the process up?"

"Of course. If you can get the Horcrux to agree in helping you, the Ibu might take mere days. It also has some magic of its own."

"Can't it use that to remain sentient?"

"Solely its own magic is not enough. You are its host. It needs some of yours to remain conscious. Even with inanimate objects, the object needs to be completely drenched in magic before a Horcrux can attach itself to it. Normally I used my own for that, but you were an accident, and thus it feeds off yours now."

"How can it help me when it's not conscious?"

"It can heal you from within. I don't know if I can fully explain it. It's a complicated process. Your magical sources retreat to one point, out of your own reach, and use itself to multiply. Because my Horcrux is inside of you, it can send its own magic to that same point to help, just before it shuts down because it can't reach your magic anymore. I'm sure its magic has become compatible enough with your own for it to work. If there's more magic, then it will also all replenish much faster. There's a sort of exponential growth in it."

"Right. I think I get it. And when the… the Ibu is over, what will happen?"

"Then it will all be released, gradually flowing through your body till your Sianelu System is full again. That's the tricky part though… even after you feel that your magic is returning to you, you still have to wait a day at least before you can use it safely, lest you immediately exhaust yourself again."

"And the Horcrux?"

"It will be able to re-establish the connection between you and itself, and become conscious once more."

"Merlin, why is this so bloody complicated?" Harry groaned. "How am I even going to 'make it agree'? I can't exactly talk to it…"

"Actually… yes, you can. I think I told you before… right after you killed Bellatrix and we spoke about the Locket you had found in her ashes…There is a spell that allows me to communicate with the pieces of soul from a distance, and I can let you talk to them as well… Pitifully enough, this Horcrux is a reflection of myself at the moment I made it. It's arrogant, has suppressed its emotions and is just… not very pleasant to converse with."

"I am **so** glad that I didn't meet you during that time." Harry muttered " Somehow, I doubt that we would ever have gotten in a relationship."

"Yes, I very much doubt that as well…" Marvolo dryly said. "Be glad that I had ample time to learn from my mistakes."

Harry just smiled at him and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "And? How am I going to speak to this Horcrux?"

"It's not a very complicated ritual. I did it during summer, so I still remember the required spells. I just need some parchment, charcoal and my own blood to summon my Horcruxes. They will gain ghost-like appearances, and thus you too will be able to see them and speak to them, the one that resides inside of you in particular."

"How will I convince it to cooperate? I'm sure it won't be happy with me trying to suppress it… even if that will just be a repercussion of something else."

"Hmm… explain why it will profit from it also… having a host who is incapable of performing certain magic is not an ideal situation for my soul."

"I guess that would be logical… strange, I didn't think I would ever dread meeting you again." the teen said, giving Marvolo a wry smile.

"You'll survive. Besides, it's not like I am particularly happy about having to speak to it again. I only did for a few seconds some weeks ago but that was more than enough."

"Well, I don't think I would be too thrilled to speak to** my** soul. Especially not if it's a part that broke off years ago. I've made some rather… drastic choices… that a past me would not be happy about." Harry confessed.

The bed creaked as Marvolo got up and walked towards a false window the room had created, through which a landscape could be seen that bathed in red sunlight. The man rested his hands on the windowsill and leaned his forehead against the iron forgings in front of it, staring in the distance. "I don't regret any choices I made." he finally said. "I don't regret regaining my feelings, and I certainly don't regret you." he softly continued.

Harry smiled and sat up, shivering a bit when the cold air hit his back. He followed Marvolo's form with his eyes through the transparent, light green drapes that hung around the bed as he walked through the room, picked up a quill and stared at it before slowly pushing the sharp point inside of his hand. Harry blinked when a piece of charcoal and a sheet of parchment suddenly materialized on the nightstand on the right of the bed. Silently, he thanked the room, grabbed the stuff and walked over to Marvolo, giving him an odd look when the man started to laugh.

"What?"

"I know we'll just be conversing with parts of me, but I still recommend clothing… I don't share, not even with myself."

"Well isn't someone greedy." Harry mused, secretly pleased. Marvolo didn't reply other than with a roll of his eyes, and took the things Harry offered him. He kneeled down and started to rub the charcoal on the parchment while Harry dressed. When the teen finally returned, he reopened the small wound on his hand and let the blood be absorbed by the now black sheet, which instantly turned a dark shade of red.

"**A Carbone Sanguinis, Anima: Prodio**." he muttered, waving his hand over the soaked piece.

Smoky forms began to rise from it and became recognisable as people, or better said, one man in various stages of his life. Harry watched in fascination as they hovered in the air, looking down at him. Inwardly, he winced when the first to come out was not the 16-year-old boy he'd seen down in the chamber, but a slightly older version whose eyes seemed to burn with the same expression Marvolo had when he tortured or killed people.

Lastly, a man with a very similar look as Marvolo solidified, but there were harsh edges on his face which Harry did not recognise, and a dangerous craziness haunted his features. "You wished to speak to me, my vessel?" he sneered at Harry, and the teen had to dig his nails in the palm of his hand to not take a step back.

"Yes." he quietly said. "I wish for your cooperation…"

"Really now… and what if I refuse?"

"Why would you? What you have been doing, suppressing my magic's desire to heal… how would that ever benefit you in the long term? I can't even cast proper spells!"

"You just need to get stronger then, don't you boy?" the Horcrux sneered, and Harry pressed his lips together.

"Why are you so afraid of not being sentient for a few days?" he asked, but apparently it had been the wrong thing to say, for a raging look crossed the smoky features, and the form dived down, stopping right in front of Harry's face.

"**I am NOT afraid of ANYTHING, you worthless-**"

"That's quite enough." Marvolo interrupted with a soft, but dangerous voice.

"Oh look, my mellowed future… I am ashamed that I could ever turn out in something like you… I think I despise you even more so than my past…"

"To answer your question, Harry… I am terrified of death, or anything that is similar to it… obliterating my own existence is not something I would do without making sure I benefitted from it in a way that far outweighed the price." Marvolo calmly stated. "However, my Horcrux, it will only be temporary, and as you have a living vessel, he needs to be able to protect both himself and you. How can he when you are constantly fighting his magic's need to heal? You disrupt his flow, destabilise him. Think about it. I will continue my war soon. How do you suppose Harry will fight when you block his ability to cast more advanced Magics with your stubbornness to not go to sleep for a few days?"

The Horcrux drifted back to its original spot, clearly considering Marvolo's words. Finally, it turned around, calmed somewhat, but it still stared at Harry with disgust. "I will concede this time. However, I will never accept you as a worthy vessel, nor will I accept** you,**" he turned to Marvolo "-as worthy of the title of Dark Lord until you have come to your senses. Whatever happened to my dreams of glory, I don't know, but I am… disappointed that you no longer wish to pursue my ideals."

With that, he sank into the parchment again, or rather; he evaporated as he descended towards it. The other Horcruxes, who had merely watched during the encounter, followed suit, although the youngest form of them all lingered behind, only disappearing after having voiced that he was glad that his future had reverted back to his **original** plans.

The parchment turned blank and Marvolo sank into a chair, releasing a long breath as he rubbed his right temple. Harry approached him and pressed a light kiss to his forehead, wrapping his arms around the man's neck. "How is it possible that you were ever such an asshole?" he muttered, making his lover laugh.

"I became addicted to dark magic and mutilated both my body and mind, thinking less and less about the consequences of my actions. I never grounded myself*, never purified myself, strained my magical core and drenched it in darkness. I literally poisoned myself without caring. Make sure it never happens to you Harry…"

"How come that you were healed?"

"A combination of things… spending more than a decade as a spirit, during which I had no access to my magic and thus could not mutilate it further, and the gaining of a new body with pure ingredients. This body is an exact replica of my old one, but it is only a copy, it is not the original, and so it was not yet affected by years of abuse by the darkest of arts, even though it looks like it. It also helped that it was created with your blood, and Nagini's venom. Both of you still had a pureness over you that healed me. How you maintained that pureness even after killing is a mystery to me, however."

"What do you mean? I'm quite certain that after killing Bellatrix and Umbridge, I'm not all that pure…"

"I was speaking of Quirrel, the Basilisk, a piece of my soul and several Acromantulas." Marvolo responded dryly."

"I… killed Quirrel?"

"Yes, he's quite dead, as I'm sure you've noticed."

"Of course I know he's dead… I just… I thought he died because you left his body, to be honest."

"You turned his body into ash… How **did** you do it? I'm very,** very** certain that **love** had nothing to do with it."

"I don't know. Accidental magic?" the teen asked, shrugging.

"Honestly you…" the man said with a sigh. "Come on, you have to prepare for your purification."

"Alright. What do I have to do?"

"Not really much. Normally this happens automatically. You, however, will have to meditate and probe around for the Horcrux, to let it know you're ready."

Harry nodded, but just when he wanted to sit down, a sudden feeling of loss, of being drained, filled him, and he cried out in anguish. Marvolo caught him when his knees buckled, and carried him over to the bed. "Harry? What happened?"

"It's gone… it's gone…" Harry said, as he realised that something fundamental was missing. He had always thought that magic was just a power wizards could use, and that having no magic for a while would be like spending summer at the Dursleys, but this…** this** he had not expected. "It's gone…" he repeated, clawing at his chest, panicking. Marvolo gently took his hands and pried them away so he couldn't hurt himself.

"It's not forever Harry. I'm sorry I didn't warn you… I forgot how it feels the first time. I take it that my soul already stopped fighting this?"

The teen nodded and curled up to his love, shivering, very glad for the fact that he could stay here for the remainder of the day.

* * *

"Madame Pomfrey?" Harry asked, standing in the doorway of the Infirmary. The nurse, who had just been busy changing bed sheets, looked up to him with a distraught look.

"Oh, Potter. Excuse me, I hadn't heard you. Are you feeling unwell?"

"Not really. I just came here for formal reasons. I wore out my magic rather heavily, and I'm going through an Ibu right now. I should be fine within a few days, but I need your signature as a confirmation that I can't do anything but theoretical things in class."

"Ibu?" she muttered. "Well, I'm pleased that you know the name Mr Potter. Most students would have panicked when their magic was inaccessible. I know you're probably sure, but I'll need to give you a quick check-up of course, also for formal reasons." The teen nodded and approached her, sitting down on a chair when she told him so. "When did it begin? And could you please tell me the cause of your sudden exhaustion?"

"Yesterday. It wasn't really sudden. I'm afraid I pushed myself too hard. Summer was really stressful, and I decided to dedicate more time to school when I came back. That combination backfired on me."

Madame Pomfrey carefully checked his pulse and probed his wrists with some peculiar device before nodding. "Good, it seems to me that everything is going fine. Don't use magic while it returns to you either."

"Yeah, I know. Have to wait a day."

"May I inquire how you gained this knowledge? It is not standard in the Hogwarts curriculum, a fact I have complained about multiple times, by the way."

"My boyfriend has thoroughly studied an impressive amount of magical areas, especially key areas such as healing."

It was apparent that the nurse was pleased with this, and she told him to wait while she went to her office to fetch a slip of paper and a quill. Harry walked to the windows and slid one of the curtains open, looking at the bleak September sun that now and then shone through the light grey clouds. The few patches of open sky were so light blue that they almost seemed white, and it was clear that it wouldn't be long before the first autumn rains would arrive. Harry sighed, and wondered if his lack of magic would affect the ability to fly. While the pages of 'Quidditch through the ages' were crumpled and torn because of the many times he had read the book, he did not know anything about the magic that was woven around the brooms themselves. Would a Muggle be able to fly on a Firebolt?

He had been so caught up in other things that he had rather neglected his broom, save for the Quidditch try-outs, where he'd been dragged to by Angelina, who was Team Captain now Oliver had graduated. He wondered what would become of the Team once he, Fred and George left. Though Harry didn't like to admit it, Ron wasn't exactly the best Keeper there was, despite the fact that he had been the best one during the try-outs…

The curtain fell back as he turned at the sound of footsteps, and Madame Pomfrey profoundly apologized to him for having taken such a long time. He just smiled at her and accepted the offered paper. He turned on his heels, but looked back when the nurse called him.

"Mr Potter, I do hope that for once, a year will pass by without you lying in my infirmary because of lethal injuries." She said, a wry grin on her face. Harry smirked and shook his head.

"Who knows what miracles can happen this year…" he retorted, and walked out of the white room, slowly enough to hear the exasperated sigh of the nurse before the door closed behind him.

He remembered barely in time that he needed to get to history of magic, but figured that he wouldn't need his books for that subject anyway, and thus he didn't bother to jog to Gryffindor tower. He went to the nearest secret passage, and to any onlooker it might have looked as if he suddenly disappeared into thin air, while instead, he had entered a tunnel through a hole in the wall that was half obscured by a large stone statue, and half by the dark shadow cast by it. Harry automatically counted the steps in the dark, only slowing when reaching the last ones to be sure he hadn't miscounted.

When he arrived at the other end of the tunnel, he rushed to the classroom. The corridors were mostly empty, but while previous years he had always felt an uncomfortable feeling of being watched when alone, he now reveled in the quiet. He turned the last corner, arrived in a wider corridor and had to suppress a sigh of disgruntlement when he had to push himself through the sudden mass of people. Some of them gave him odd looks and giggled, and he pretended to not see the stares they gave him and the funny faces they made behind his back before bursting out in derisive laughter. Harry gritted his teeth in irritation, but he was also somewhat relieved that the majority of the Wizarding population still didn't believe his and Dumbledore's statement that the Dark Lord had returned.

He entered the classroom and sat down next to Ron, smiling at the other boy. Ron gave him a smirk in return, but Harry noticed that there was something like anxiousness in his friend's eyes. Well, it couldn't be helped… he hadn't spoken to either Ron or Hermione after their encounter with Marvolo. They were bound to be uncomfortable around him for some time, though it had to be said that, for Gryffindors, they were rather good at hiding their discomfort.

Professor Binns entered the room by gliding through the blackboard, and immediately began to talk in a monotonous voice, not even noticing that there were no students who were listening, with the exception of Hermione, who was taking notes as always. Harry sighed and buried his head in his arms, wondering why the hell he even came, when something hit his arm. He looked at the thing, which turned out to be a crumpled ball of paper, and smoothed it out before looking up in surprise, just in time to catch Draco's meaningful gaze.

_Harry, can you get me an audience with Him?_

He frowned at the words and stuffed the paper in his robe, mentally scolding Draco for not disguising the message in any way. What if the Slytherin had missed and someone else had picked it up instead? He gave Draco a curt nod, and the boy turned around again with a pleased smile. Harry caught Ron's surprised look from the corner of his eye, and turned to his friend, making Ron clear that he wanted to speak with him after class.

He used the lesson to mull over his current situation. He wouldn't have any magic for days, so Eyolf would not teach him during that time, leaving him with time to spare. Perhaps he could search the Twins out and see what sorts of things they had invented. Perhaps they had something useful for him. Also, he thought, rather reluctantly, he should probably spend some time on his homework and study more. Because of recent events, he had not had very much time for it and had neglected his studying, despite his intention to spend more hours in the library. He was frustrated by his own lack of progress, but because he had no idea how long it would take him to master the necessary spells after his Ibu, he also could not take a gauge of how long he would still need to stay at Hogwarts.

He took a slip of paper and made a list of things he wanted to look up. First and foremost, he wanted to look into the origins of magic and the theories behind it. With all his little snippets of information on how magic worked, Marvolo had made him curious, and for the first time in a long while, he actually itched to run to the library and lose himself in a book. Several other things on the list were shadow walking, of which he had been taught the basics by the Death Eater Tracking Team just before leaving Hogwarts, something which belonged, surprisingly, in the category of mind-magic. He sighed and started doodling a bit absentmindedly, and before he knew it, Marvolo looked at him from the paper with an intense stare. Harry felt his cheeks grow hot with embarrassment, and just wanted to stuff it the pocket of his jeans when a pale hand snatched it away.

"By Circe, Potter… you really have a morbid crush, don't you? Does he really look like this under his robes?"

"Malfoy!" Harry hissed, gripping the boy's wrist, purposely embedding his nails in the skin until Draco let go of it with a pained sound. Harry looked around and noticed that the classroom was empty, save for them and the pearly ghost who had not noticed the lesson was over. "Don't you have somewhere else to be?" he snarled, uncomfortable about the fact that the blonde had seen his drawing.

"You do this often? Does** he** approve of your tendency to draw him naked?"

"…"

"I take that as a no…"

"You know, I don't** have** to ask him for an audience with you. If you prefer going to him yourself, I'll be more than happy to let you."

His acid tone had the desired effect. Draco took a step backwards and lifted his hands in surrender. "Okay okay, geez, I was only joking."

"Your ill attempt at humour was neither amusing, nor desired." he retorted, but his voice was flat. "And what do you mean with 'morbid crush'?"

He quirked an eyebrow when Draco started to laugh and then gave him an incredulous look. "Honestly Harry…" he scoffed, but then got a curious expression. "Can he look different by the way?"

The question threw him off, and puzzled, he answered: "Well, yeah. Why?"

"Oh… then perhaps you're not as crazy as I thought. Anyways, I must be going. See you later!"

Draco darted out of the room, leaving a confused Harry behind. "Crazy?" he mused, shaking his head afterwards, deciding that it wasn't worth dwelling over.

* * *

To ground yourself, for the ones who are not familiar with New Age stuff, means to let all overflowing energy -or in this case magic- flow out of your body, often using the earth or trees.  
Sianelu system: Welsh for 'Channeling System', and I have to admit that I was imagening a Naruto-like chakra system :P

Read and review!

xx GeMerope


	23. Part I Chapter XXIII

Tired, Harry slumped down on the chair in front of the fireplace in Gryffindor common room, staring at the flames. It was harder than he thought, living without magic, even though it wasn't as bad as yesterday. He still felt like half of him was missing and continuously needed to suppress the urge to not panic, grab his wand and uselessly try to cast spells. Or **try **to grab his wand… Marvolo had been so merciful to keep it until Harry had his magic back.

_Just a few more days…_

The thought didn't cheer him up as much as he'd hoped…

"Harry!" His head jerked up, and he smiled as Ron literally fell in the other chair because he tripped. "Oh woops. Hey, you wanted to talk about something? Is… does… does it have to do with…" Harry bit his lip to stifle his laughter when noticing that his friend could not yet bring himself to say 'Voldemort', but did not want to call him You-Know-Who any longer either. "Him." Ron finally said, sheepishly smiling.

"Partly. Where's Hermione?"

"Library? I don't know, haven't seen her after dinner."

Harry nodded and asked Ron to cast a silencing spell, who gave him a strange look, but complied. "Oh well. Some things happened. There was something wrong with my magic so now I can't use it for a couple of days. It's out of my reach." Harry said, instantly becoming somber.

"No magic?" Ron said, shocked. "Wow… that must suck. Like… magical coma?"

"No, no, the opposite… uhm... I don't really know the whole explanation anymore. It always makes sense when Marvolo says it, but I don't remember everything. Anyways, it had to heal and shut itself down because I used it too much during summer."

"During summer? What about the Trace?"

"The wards were barely able to prevent the triggering of the Trace, a fact that Marvolo was quite irritated by. I only used it twice, but one time something really freaky happened and I had an out-of-body experience."

"What'd you do?" Ron asked, grabbing some crisps.

"I kinda… killed Bellatrix."

The crisps were instantly spat out.

"You did WHAT? Killed…? Wait, Bellatrix… wasn't that some Death Eater who was condemned to Azkaban? Dad told me about her once…"

"Yes, she was one of the Death Eaters who was broken out during summer. However, it appeared that she had a crush on my love and thought it fit to torture me to insanity. Needless to say… she didn't succeed." Harry said, vaguely wondering what had caused the fish-like look on his friend's face, before deciding that it was probably because he had mentioned the Dark lord in passing and called him 'love'.

"Ugh, this is all so confusing." Ron finally said. "I mean… I've joined a side, but I really don't have any idea what they're doing right now, or did before… The only thing I'm sure of is that most of my earlier prejudices are probably incorrect. Could you tell me more about it all?"

"It all… could you be a bit more specific?" Harry laughed.

"But I don't know anything! We could make this a question-answer thing…"

"Fine." Harry said, amused.

"For starters, of how many people does his circle consist?"

"There are a few circles. In the Inner circle, there are between ten and twenty people… The second tier consists of several groups, some which are more important than others, and then there's the rest… something around three hundred people, I guess… I don't know how many percent that is of the Wizarding population though.

"Every year, about fifty wizards and witches are born in England… the general age of well… death, is one hundred and thirty so. uhm…"

"Roughly 6500 people?" Harry asked, calculating quickly

"Pretty much. But I don't think it will be expected of anyone younger than 16 to fight in this war… and most who have passed the hundred don't either…That still leaves about 3300… we're really a minority…" Ron said with a worried look.

"Not necessarily. These are only the people who actively fight for the Dark. There are those who wish to remain Neutral and those who are merely supportive. And it's not like the rest will fight for Dumbledore. A lot of people who work at the Ministry don't wish to have anything to do with the war or are still in denial and might be converted. And there is always the back-up from other creatures."

"Such as?"

"Werewolves, Vampires, probably Giants, some Parseltongue-speaking creatures, Dwarfs and uh… Mermaids I thought."

"Woah, that's quite a lot… we might have a chance then."

"Might?" Harry said, snickering. "We're lead by the most brilliant, most powerful wizard of this time and more than half of the Wizarding population will be thrown into chaos soon. I, the one they've thrown all their hope on, is firmly Dark and we even have the support of Muggles…" he said, smiling brightly when mentioning Marvolo.

Ron gave him a hesitant, not fully convinced smile and leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "How are the Death Eaters in general?"

"Fairly nice. Most of them are Slytherins though, so… very reserved. I've met a really nice group however. Lot of crazy people, but fun. Sameer is one of them."

"Our new Defense teacher?" Ron asked, gobsmacked.

"Yeah… didn't I mention he was on our side?"

"No. wow, how did he get the job?"

"Fudge thinks Sameer works for him…"

"Bloody hell… Another point though… **He** mentioned that you, Fred and George will leave school soon… but what exactly will happen? I mean, war will start, obviously, if you openly support him, but where will you start?"

"That's kind of vague." Harry admitted. "It depends on what I'll find in Dumbledore's memories… Marvolo is looking for something specific in them I think, which is why the war can't break out while he doesn't have that information."

"What sort of information?"

Harry blinked, opening his mouth to reply and closing it again, frowning… The one time he'd asked for it, Marvolo had answered that he wanted to know the full prophecy, but he already knew now and had discovered it was already finished… Harry himself had mooted the subject of the Hallows, and that Dumbledore might know something aboiut them, but it had seemed that Marvolo hadn't even thought about that. Further, the man had always remained unclear about the topic. He'd mentioned blackmail material once, but that was not something that would decide whether or not he would have to kill Dumbledore for what he knew, only something to be used if Marvolo decided he could live a bit longer.

Harry had no idea what **could** be so important… information about his Horcruxes? Harry's 'mission' had also changed somewhat since he'd first gotten it… If he remembered correctly, the original plan had been to write down the labels and later get back to copy the ones Marvolo wanted to have because he thought they would be interesting… yet now he had to immediately copy all memories he could get his hands on? Well, it wasn't that he wasn't glad for the fact that he didn't have to break into the office twice, but… he had no idea why Marvolo had changed his mind, or what he even wanted with those memories…

"Harry?"

"I… don't know. I have some vague ideas but... I don't know for sure." he confessed.

"You… are going to steal something while having no idea why?"

The black-haired boy frowned, gazing into the fire. "I'm stealing them because Marvolo asked me to. I know that they'll help somehow. I trust him…" but deep inside, something coiled. Doubt. What** was** he doing? And why?

He shook his head, willing the thoughts away, guilty that he would even let something like that enter his mind. He'd definitely ask his lover next time he saw him though.

"Never mind that now…" Harry said, and Ron frowned, but did not press upon the matter further. "Anything else?"

"What will become of Hogwarts? If the Dark wins?"

Harry smiled. "There will change a lot, of course… Another headmaster, other teachers, but also additional courses. The school is far too light-oriented now. While it will not become the opposite, Marvolo plans to introduce the class Dueling as a mandatory course for third year and up, and Warding, Spell creation and Politics as new elective courses, while Divination will be either scratched or changed majorly… He also wants students to learn more about Healing, and a purely theoretical course about the origins and workings of magic will be added."

"Divination might be scratched? Wicked!"

"Yeah. He would also like to change Defense Against the Dark Arts into Offensive and Defensive Magic." He actually has a whole list of lots and lots of little things he wants to change too… It was in the huge stack of papers he shoved under my nose to read right after I told him I'd join him. He even went so far as to decide which portraits are allowed to stay and which aren't, or should be added." Harry laughed.

"Bloody hell… he really put a lot of thought into Hogwarts then?"

Harry nodded. "Hogwarts has always been very important to him. That has never changed, and probably never will. It's something I feel myself… this castle is the first place I felt at home." He shook his head, exhaling a breath. "Sorry for suddenly being so sentimental." he grinned. Anyways, you can expect a lot to change once we control this castle…"

"What about Muggle Studies?"

"It will be changed. He's still trying to figure out what to do with that one. It won't remain as it is. While I haven't taken the subject, I know it puts a lot of emphasis on keeping magic secret for Muggles by learning how to use Muggle Science… that won't be needed once our worlds will be merged. Perhaps the subject will deal more with different views on magic or learning to actually understand Muggles?"

"I won't take it either way." Ron grinned. "That's a whole bunch of new subjects…"

"Yeah. I can imagine it will be hell for Hermione… having to choose between all those new courses… she might want to get another time-turner, haha."

"I'll stick to my old ones…" Ron sighed. "I have too much bloody homework as it is… Spell Creation might be cool though, but Bill told me once that I'd need to have knowledge about Arithmacy and runes for that… two subjects I don't ever plan to take…"

Harry cursed as a bunch of second or third years bustled through the portrait hole and gathered near the fire, sitting on the other couch, within the range of the silencing spell. Ron glared at them, but they seemed to be oblivious about it. Finally, Harry got up and gestured for Ron to follow him upstairs. The boy's dorm was still empty, with the exception of Arzón, who had curled up on Harry's bed and seemed to be asleep. It was a miracle that the teachers had not caught the rumours about a 9-feet snake in Gryffindor tower yet, but Harry seriously wondered how much longer their ignorance would last. Although, if he had to believe Marvolo, the teachers could not do anything about it, as snakes** were** allowed as pets at Hogwarts.

"Was there anything else you wanted to know?"

"Nah, I think that were the main points… I'll ask Fred and George to inform me if I have other questions."

"Speaking of that, I thought you would speak to them about... all this as well?"

"Yeah, but they're SO hard to find nowadays. They're constantly disappearing to work on their inventions, and **if** I can find them, they always tell me that they're busy… and I know they are. They allowed me to look as they were developing healing capsules or something like that. The spellwork they used was far above their level. I really wonder how they failed on so many subjects…"

"Simple, they're just not interested." Harry clarified. "There's nothing wrong with their brains, they're brilliant, in fact, but they think school is a waste of time, if you'd ask me." Harry crouched down and opened his trunk, rummaging through it until he found a towel.

"Well, I'm going to take a shower." he informed Ron, walking around his bed to briefly scratch the snake on his head.

"Sure. I think I'll go write some nonsense in that dream diary for Divination." Ron grinned. "I wonder how I can let my dream turn out in Snape dying this time."

Harry laughed and shook his head, stalking towards the bathroom. He undressed and turned the water on, leaning against the cold wall after stepping into the stream. He closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind, which was harder than he thought it would have been. Too many thoughts were flowing through his mind, and Ron's words kept coming back to him. He frowned, trying to remember if he'd ever really been told what Dumbledore's memories were needed for, but nothing else came to mind than what he'd already thought of, and he felt incredibly stupid for that fact.

Of course, he trusted his lover, but shouldn't Marvolo have given him some more information about what his task was about? Harry ran a hand through his hair, sighing deeply, and finally managed to distract himself by thinking about Quidditch.

When done, he dried himself, took a razor and just wanted to start shaving when the door opened and Dean bustled in with a towel, gaping at Harry, who quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Uhm, hi?" Harry said, feeling kind of awkward.

Dean just opened his mouth and closed it again, his eyes falling on Harry's hand.

"Are you... shaving your legs?"

"… Yes." The other boy just stood there, apparently not able to make up his mind over whether he should flee or ask a question. "I shave, so what?" Harry finally snapped, and Dean looked away, flushing in embarrassment.

"Nothing… I'll just… wait till you're done."

"Honestly…" Harry muttered, rolling his eyes.

~Is the human bothering you?~ He heard faintly, and he smiled.

~No Arzón, it's fine.~

~Pity. I've been wanting to eat something else than rats…~

Harry snickered and started shaving. When he returned, he dared the others to say something with his look, but they all avoided his gaze, except for Ron, who gave him a pat on his shoulder and yawned loudly, announcing that he was going to sleep.

Grinning at his friend, who changed into his nightclothes, tore open a bag of crisps and started eating, Harry too went to bed.

* * *

Draco nervously knocked on the wooden door that had appeared. He looked over his shoulder to the empty corridor, but could not see anyone and frowned at the door when no-one answered. He was sure that Potter had said the Dark Lord was expecting him. He knocked again, harder this time, but there was still no response. Figuring that the Room might block all sounds from inside, he pushed the door open a bit and peeked inside. Seeing no Dark Lord, he opened the door and stepped inside, admiring the room. It was lighter than he'd expected, and all through the room hung half-transparent, green drapes and some heavier curtains in the back, perhaps to separate this part of the room from another.

He was just wondering whether or not he was expected to wait here until the Dark Lord returned from whatever he was doing, when he heard muffled sounds. He perked his ears and a few seconds later, a soft, low sound that sounded suspiciously like laughter followed. He fidgeted and fought his curiousity when figuring out that it came from behind the heavy curtains. After some more noises the urge to see who was there was stronger than the fear for the Dark Lord's wrath, so he snuck over to the other side of the room and peeked through a gap between the heavy fabric. His eyes widened when seeing part of a bed, a pillow, and two entwined hands, one white and skeletal, and another one normal and too familiar. He drew back immediately, feeling his cheeks burn, and he was torn between looking again and sprinting away.

As if the image hadn't been bad enough, a low moan came from the bed, and Draco heard wet kissing sounds and some hissed words that sounded too damn sexy. He really hoped that it had been Potter who had spoken them, because if he'd ever catch himself thinking the Dark Lord was sexy, he would probably vomit.

_Merlin, why me?_

XxX

~You know that the young Malfoy is peeking don't you?~

~You don't seem to be too mad at him.~ Harry turned over to his side, a small smile playing around his lips as his gaze wandered over Marvolo's half-exposed torso. ~Hmm… have I told you already how sexy you look in that bathrobe?~

The man smirked and cocked an eyebrow. ~Do I now?~

~Yessss…~

Harry was pulled down in a slow, long kiss that left him breathless, and he whimpered when after it, his collarbone was traced by a wet tongue. He put his hand on the hard chest and slid it to the left, under the fluffy black fabric, trailing the smooth side. He admired the sight before him and licked his lips again, savouring the taste of Marvolo's saliva on them.

~Why would I be mad at him? It's only natural for the boy to be curious.~

Harry hummed and tightened the grip of his right hand, which was still entwined with long, spidery fingers. He leaned down to steal another kiss and draped himself over his lover, rubbing their chests together. He pushed the robe aside a bit and stuck his tongue out, pushing the tip against Marvolo's left nipple, which rapidly stiffened when he started to suckle on it. Teeth lightly bit down, resulting in a groan, and Harry felt oddly powerful, not only because of what he could do to his lover, but also because of the little voyeur, barely more than a yard away.

~Shouldn't a Slytherin reign in that curiousity?~ he asked Marvolo.

~Perhaps, but it is not up to me to teach him that. ~I always thought you would be more possessive when it came to this.~ Harry slowly ran a nail up and down the exposed skin and positioned his head over Marvolo's heart, relaxing as he heard the steady, low beat.

Marvolo laughed at that. ~I practically sucked your tongue out of your mouth while more than a hundred of my followers were watching. As long as they don't touch…~

~What would you do when they would dare to do more than look?~ Harry asked with genuine curiosity.

~Then I would do something reserved for only the greatest of crimes.~

~Which would be?~

~Let my imagination run free…~

Harry shivered and he felt himself growing aroused at those words. Marvolo hardly let go of his control, especially during torture… for him to let go… He shivered again and a cold hand curled around his free wrist, a thumb pressing into the skin to feel his wild heartbeat.

"Does that turn you on?" he whispered, and Harry was aware of that he had spoken in english.

"Immensely." The teen answered, eyes clouding over. "However, I'm not letting you run your imagination free on **me**…" ~not while **he** is watching.~

"Fair enough…" Harry raised his eyebrow when noticing his lover was looking directly at the curtains. "Now, young Malfoy… make yourself useful instead of gaping behind that curtain."

Harry hid his sniggers by pressing his face in Marvolo's chest when a very un-Malfoyish yelp was given as reply. When the blonde finally emerged from behind the curtains, Harry looked up, pleased to notice the other had a green shade over him and was fervently chewing on his bottom lip. Well, he supposed it wasn't everyday that you were caught spying on the Dark Lord and his lover, both whom were half-naked. He went rigid as a finger leisurely travelled up his spine, sending sparks through him. If it hadn't been for the other teen in the room, he'd have mewled… Instead, he glared at Marvolo, who threw him an amused smirk, and red eyes shone with mirth. Harry released a suffering breath and untangled himself from his love's arms, turning to face Malfoy.

"So, Draco… had a good look?" he commented airily.

The blonde spluttered, his eyes bulging out, and Marvolo clacked his tongue, pushing himself up. "Nevermind that. But just for good measure…" he pointed three, long fingers at Draco, who immediately sank to his knees, his head thrown back as he screamed as unimaginable pain surrounded him. When the curse was finally released, he sat up, his eyes opened wide like a frightened rabbit.

~What was that curse?~ Harry asked with curiousity. ~It didn't look like the Cruciatus…~

~It's a nerve-tearing curse. The Cruciatus curse only inflicts metal pain, trying to fool the brain, while this one actually rips nerves apart, only to heal them instantly. It has no aftereffects either.~

~I've never heard of it…~

~No offense, but I think there are many dark curses you haven't heard of… we shall need to mend that when you will have moved to the manor.~

Harry nodded slowly, trying to not openly show his excitement. He tried to send a thought through their link before cursing inwardly, realising he still had no magic. It had become easier over the days, especially when in the rather… distractive company of his lover. His love, who perhaps was only…  
He sucked harshly on the inside of his cheek, wondering where** that** thought had suddenly come from. He quickly masked his uncertainty. He would not lose the grip he'd had on himself since **that **conversation with Ron. And if he would, not in front of Malfoy of all people.

XxX

Draco, who had become even more nervous because of the hissed conversation, glanced up to the two men on the bed, hurriedly averting his gaze again when the angle allowed him to see more of the Dark Lord than he'd ever wanted. He was very glad that the man was at least wearing **something**, but still… Draco shuddered when seeing the protruding ribs, and did not succeed in understanding how anyone could stand to touch this man, let alone like it.

"Well, young Malfoy?" the Dark Lord said, sitting upright and covering himself with the bathrobe. "Have you achieved progress in your mission?"

The blonde bowed his head, nervously licking his lips. "Yes, My lord… I have spoken personally to everyone in Slytherin in the upper years, broaching the subject about their views on this war. The students with Death Eater parents helped me spread word of your vision, and more and more students stand either behind you, or have become more lenient in their thinking. I am trying to collect information about students in Ravenclaw currently, but I have found that most of them are reluctant to openly give their opinion."

"Of course, they would rather be conversant about me and my cause first, and they also need time to check their sources, weigh their options… after speaking to them, Draco, give them that time and move onto Hufflepuffs… Not the Gryffindors yet… I doubt you will have much luck with them. I will set other people on the task of changing** their** views"

"Yes, My Lord..." the teen mumbled "I will succeed. I have made a list with names of the students in Slytherin who support you." he hesitated and looked up, taking a scroll out of his robes and handing it to the Dark Lord after getting a sign of approval.

"You did well, Draco. Now, go back to your dorms…"

The boy got up and turned around, looking over his shoulder only once and immediately regretting it when a white hand suggestively slid over Potter's exposed back, pressing his ass against the Dark Lord more firmly. Hurriedly, he slipped past the curtains again and walked away, followed by hissed laughter.

XxX

When Malfoy was finally gone, Harry smiled and sank back against Marvolo's chest, but his cheerfulness over making Malfoy feel so awkward disappeared quickly as questions he'd tried to forget popped up in his mind again. Sensing Harry's mood, Marvolo turned the boy around, giving him an odd look.

"At moments like these, I wish the link was restored again. What** is** on your mind, love?" Harry bit his lip and wrapped his arms around his torso, not daring to meet the piercing crimson stare. "Harry?"

_I'm a coward._  
"Nothing."

Something changed in the man's posture, and Harry felt like a sudden barrier existed between the two of them, a thin layer of ice. "You lie." it was a flat statement, which they both knew to be true. The teen clenched his hands into fist, not paying attention to the sharp stings of pain where his nails broke through the flesh. Of course he knew what he should ask, but he was afraid. A highly irrational fear, but it was still there, and there was a very small chance that it was not unfounded. A chance that took over his reasonable side at the moment.

"**Tell **me." Frustration now, anger, and also worry. If his feelings had not been in turmoil right now, he would have laughed. He had learnt to read this man, the fearsome Dark Lord, so well in the short time they had been together. So well, but still not enough to know for certain that he wasn't being used.

_There, I've admitted it to myself. _The thought surprised him. He had not doubted the man before. Not his love, not this trust, certainly not his lust… when had it changed?

_When you were asked to do things without being told why. When there was no mind-link anymore constantly reassuring you of his feelings._ But he had felt them… they had been there, and true. No, he still did not doubt that Marvolo loved him, wanted him. But…

"Do you trust me?" The teen blurted out.

"Of course. Why?" It was such a quick, natural answer that hope flared up. Peeking up at Marvolo, Harry saw the man was taken aback, and he relaxed slightly, although doubt was still gnawing at his insides. He grabbed a white hand and traced the palm with his fingers, a bit more frantic than he wanted to. "You told me to steal those memories. But you never exactly told me why. You gave some vague hints but… I still don't know what you hope to find in there that is so important that it could change how you will start a war… I never questioned my task before, but why do you not trust me with that information?"

Finally, the words were out, he'd voiced his thoughts. Silence fell over the room, and slowly, Marvolo slipped his hand from Harry's grasp. Fearing he'd crossed a line, the teen closed his eyes and tensed up. He was shocked, however, when he felt a feather light, icy touch on his cheek. "Harry, I'm sorry. I had no idea that something like this was bothering you… I have had much on my mind… did I really never tell you?"

Harry felt like he'd suddenly been picked up from a cold space and dumped on a comfortable couch with a blanket. "So you... you didn't… not tell me on purpose?"

A single, thin eyebrow rose. "Why would I? This is not just my war. I don't use people without telling them why." He furrowed his brow, appearing to be thinking. "Or well, no people who are important to me. But I doubt Crabbe or Goyle would understand the reasoning behind their missions. In fact, I doubt they understand much of anything at all." Despite himself Harry laughed. He laughed until he couldn't stop and it had turned into something of a hysterical sobbing. He was embraced and pressed tightly against a cold chest. "Harry, **Harry**, stop this! What is **wrong** with you? _**Placida!**_" Suddenly feeling drained and oddly calm, he stopped and slumped against Marvolo. "Harry?" there was uncertainty in the voice now, and finally, he could acknowledge it, both to himself and his lover.

"I was afraid. Afraid that nothing had changed after all. At the Dursleys, I was beaten and used as a slave. Other than that, I was ignored. At primary school, I had no friends either. Everyone was either in Dudley's gang or too afraid of them to speak to me, and thus, I was shunned. The only people who spoke to me were my teachers, sometimes. When eleven, I was suddenly dumped in this world. Everyone knew my name, but no-one knew** me**. They thought they did, and put not only their hopes on me, but also prejudices and expectancies. Still, few cared to actually tell me anything. About the war, about you, I had only heard snippets of information, and it was still expected of me to fight you. I thought that what I did was right, and if I did it, that I would finally be recognised as myself, for my own deeds, not for something I hardly remembered. And what I feared, more than anything, was to give away the control I had finally gained over my own life. But they forced me to. First Dumbledore, although I did not know back then about his plans, then other students, other teachers, and last year even the Ministry."

Marvolo gave him a compassionate look. "I'm sorry Harry. I had not wanted to give you the impression I was using you for my own gains. I** am** not. Even if you turned your back to this all, to the war, I would be content to have you with me as nothing but a lover, instead of also an ally. I admit I may have been too pushy, too fast… I understand if you want to abort the mission-"

"No." Harry interrupted him. "No, that's not what it's about. I know that I completely agree with your plans for this world, and I'll try to do anything I can to help you. But please, tell me why I do something before you ask me to do it."

"Of course love. So, the memories... It is actually not some great evil plan or something. I merely want to to find out how much Dumbledore knows about everything."

"Everything being..?"

"My plans, the possibility of you being on my side, my immortality…Especially my immortality. And perhaps I can find some blackmail on Dumbledore as well. I know he has done nasty things he doesn't want others to know of. If he goes around Obliviating students just because they're concerned for the wellbeing of his 'weapon' I can only imagine what other things he might have done. And also… I know how much you love your godfather, and that his rejection really hurt you during summer. He firmly believes in the light, but I can't help but wonder how he ended up in Azkaban without a trial. Sure, it was the norm back then, but if Dumbledore knew of the secret keeper being switched to Peter, he could have easily protected Sirius."

Speechless, Harry merely hugged Marvolo tightly again. "I'm sorry." he whispered. "For doubting you, I'm so..."

A finger on his lips hushed him. "Don't mention it, my love. I'm to blame as well."

The words didn't make Harry feel much better, but he nodded. "I wish my magic was back again. The initial feeling of it missing has faded somewhat but… it's hard to think straight. I never thought I'd say this but, I also miss the thought of you constantly being in my mind."

Lips were pressed against his cheekbone, and Harry smiled, letting his head rest against a hard shoulder. "It will be back soon, love… and you might regret those words later."

Harry rolled his eyes and curled up to Marvolo again. " But before, you said that what you would find might mean that you would have to kill Dumbledore even though you'd rather not... What information exactly could have you make such a decision?"

"My Horcruxes. I need time for this war, Harry. If Dumbledore knows about my Horcruxes and goes hunting for them, I would have to give that priority even while already waging a war. I can't do that. If he more then has a vague idea about the reason I am immortal, then I will have to kill him before the war starts."

"I understand… Thank you, for telling me all this."

"I should have told you sooner." Marvolo said on a somber tone.

Instead of answering, Harry merely hugged him.

* * *

The man rolled his shoulders, which hurt after a day of hard work, and he turned to peer at the dark forest that surrounded three-quarters of their camp. Someone called his name, but he ignored it, waiting for movement, a sign of life, a sign of…

He smirked when a roaring flame was hurled towards him, carefully aimed to avoid the dry wood of the trees. He jumped to the left, ducked and rolled over the grass, laughing. A giant, dark sapphire dragon approached him and looked at him with scorn.

"Yes yes, I know boy, I should have seen you sooner." he snickered. "You're getting rather good at hiding these days though, despite your size…

"Charlie!"

Charlie rolled his eyes and barked back: "What?" to the men sitting around the campfire.

"Stop playin 'round with the damned beast! Put it in its cage!"

The redhead gritted his teeth and sneered at the others before turning to face the dragon once more.

"This one doesn't belong in a cage Rick, and you know it!"

He didn't wait for a reply and stroked the shimmering scales, resting his head against the flank of the mighty creature. With small, slow gestures of his his hand he tried to tell it what he wanted, and after repeating the series of movement a second time, he finally got a reply in the form of a stubborn stamp on the ground. Charlie sighed. "It's not up to me to decide boy, you know I would let you fly free if it was…"

The dragon curled its back like an angry cat, causing the spikes on it to gleam dangerously in the light, but finally, the creature resented and went to the large cages on the other side of the field. The man stared at those, his heart clenching at the sight of the defeated dragons. Of course, he knew it was better for them to live here… If Muggles would see them they would be killed on the spot.

_Follow your heart, Dragon Heart…_

He shook his head when remembering the words of the Elder Centaur. If he would heed that advice, he might very well lead those dragons to their deaths, including his beloved Xaphia. Could he risk such a thing?

"Charlie, you coming?" one of the men shouted. He turned on his heel to go to the fire, but something, an uneasy feeling, stopped him, and he looked back to the trees. His heart sank when he saw another of those damned horse-men.

_Can't they just leave a man alone?_

Sighing, he headed towards the Centaur, who galloped away before Charlie could speak to him. He shrugged. He knew where to go anyways.

After a long trek through the forest, he finally found the caves where the Centaurs resided and grimaced at the hostile glares directed his way. As if he** wanted** to be here.

"Ah, Dragon Heart… Welcome. I'm glad that you did not resist the call of your Fate."

_Screw Fate._

"Chief." he grumbled, bowing his head slightly. "Why did you call?"

"I saw war… war in your head, war in your heart. Why do you struggle so much when your path is clear?"

"Because it's not!" he exclaimed, raising his head to look at the silver-haired centaur. "How can I follow my heart when it could lead to the deaths of my friends? The death of…" he choked and shut the thought out of his mind. He could not even think of it. The Elder Centaur sighed and walked towards him, his hooves sounding dull, muted by the tapestry of fallen leaves. Charlie looked at him, and the Centaur studied his worn face, the bags under his eyes, and the patches of burn scars on his skin. "Please…" Charlie whispered softly. "For once, could you give me clear advice?"

"Come with me." The horse-man turned and slowly went into one of the caves, followed by a wary Charlie.

The cave was large, and very different than the man had expected. It looked more like another part of the forest than a real cave. Sunlight was filtered through the leaves that almost wholly covered a large opening in the ceiling, and green moss and shrubbery obscured the stone walls. To the left side, large stacks of dried grass lay on the ground and a small stream stubbornly made its way through the nearly horizontal floor of the cave.

The Centaur gestured for him to sit down on a fallen tree trunk, so he did, making himself as comfortable as possible. He watched in fascination as the other sank down gracefully on the floor and started to make a fire. He wanted to say something, but the Centaur raised a hand to silence him, took some herbs from clay pots and threw them in the fire. Blue flames flared, hungrily licking the floor and stone around it, but nothing caught fire. After a few moments of being exposed to the blue light, he grew dizzy, and covered his eyes, but the blue light still seeped through it. He saw flashes of something, and voices boomed in his ears, resonating through his body. He tried to gasp for air, but felt like he was drowning within himself, in the voices swirling around and in him.

He opened his eyes, breathing in deep, and his eyes had to focus a few seconds before adjusting to the dark cave. The bright fire had long died down, and there were only embers left. Charlie groaned and rolled to his side.

"You know what to do now, Dragon Heart?"

The man groaned again and flicked his eyes up to glare at the Elder Centaur, who looked as composed as he'd been hours ago. "Yes." he finally admitted. "A warning would have been nice."

A faint smile was his only answer as he rose and brushed the dirt off his shoulders. With an unsteady pace, he wobbled back to the entrance, leaving without a word.

"Ah, Xaphia, my love…" he mumbled when he was outside again, and he looked at the moon of which the silver light was so bright that it could not be blocked by the trees. "It's time to dance once more…"

* * *

Harry slumped down on a couch at the far end of the library, looking pensively at the books he had selected, letting his fingers drift over the faded titles. Finally, he just decided to take the top one and cracked it open, searching for something more interesting than the introduction on the index page.

"Presence of magic…" he mumbled, frowning, and searched the page.

_Chapter 3: Presence of magic_

_As mentioned in chapter 2, magic is not an essential part of the body, and, in a way, not even a part of it at all, as it works as a separate force. Magic, which flows through the Sianelu system of a magical person, never merges with other parts of the body unless it is forced to do so. This does, however, not mean that magic is separate from the wizard, just as the soul is not. Indeed, the presence of Magic can be compared with the presence of the soul, although magic is, other than the soul, detectable. –with exception, of course, of the result of the first legal use of an Unforgivable in 1103ad.-_

"Legal?" Harry muttered, frowning. He thought the author of the book was making quite some assumptions as to the knowledge of the reader about the subject he spoke of.

_Theories that wizards would not be able to live when losing their magic has long been rejected. While the mind might not be able to fully heal, physically, magic is not needed to sustain the body, and thus being cut off one's magic would not affect the physical state of one._

_Oddly enough, while magic can be detected through magic, there has not yet been found evidence for its existence in the human DNA. There is also other evidence that magic is not (per se) a genetic trait. There are Witches and wizards who have no traceable magical ancestors, and inbreeding does not affect the power of one's magic. While many magicians would like to deny the following statement, it is also proven that blood purity has nothing to do with the strength of one's magic. While not equal in knowledge, the average Muggleborn is not magically weaker than the average Pureblooded wizard._

_The only way to detect the magic of another person is by sensing it with your own. 'Magical tracing' spells, in fact, form a connection between your own magic and the magic of the person you wish to trace, rendering you able for a short period of time to feel one's magic stronger than normally for an extended period of time. It is not the spell that traces that person, it merely heightens your own, already present, ability to do so._

"What are you reading?" Harry looked up, facing a curious-looking Hermione.

"Theories on the workings of magic." Harry answered her. "The presence of Magic, currently. It's quite interesting."

"Oh, that one." Hermione said, and Harry really wasn't surprised that she had read it.

"Moine, do you know what the author means with 'The first legal use of the Unforgivables?"

The girl frowned, as if thinking of a rather unpleasant memory. "No." she answered curtly. "I tried to find more information about it as well, but the books on Unforgivables are in the restricted section, and I felt… compelled to never go there…"

Nodding in understanding, Harry sighed. "Pity. I'll ask Marvolo, he'll surely know."

"You think?"

Harry gave her an incredulous look. "Moine, he knows **everything**. That man is way too brilliant."

"Why thank you." An amused, haughty voice sounded, and Harry flushed, turning around to face Marvolo, who had taken on his disguise as Thanos. "And yes, I do know about that particular information."

"Is no-one going to be suspicious if you constantly prance through the castle?" Harry asked, irritated.

"Your teachers know about your escapades out of the castle, and are thus aware that it is quite easy for me to sneak in as well. And whatever would I, the nice owner of the local apothecary, possibly have up my sleeve?"

Harry rolled his eyes, sighing deeply as he wrapped his arms around the man's torso. "Bloody arrogant bastard." He muttered.

"So, how have you been faring?" His lover asked on a serious tone.

"I'll cope." He replied, a wry smile on his face. "I decided to use the time to delve deeper into some things you've told me about. So, what is this about 'legal use of an Unforgivable'? Did someone have permission to use the Imperius curse or something?"

"Ah, no, no. The event which is mentioned was in 1103ad, when there were other curses who were deemed Unforgivable than now. And just a little fact, the Cruciatus curse was not illegal back then, nor were the Imperius curse, or even the Killing curse. Those were only made unforgivable in 1717. Instead, there were two other curses which were unforgivable, or rather, two branches of magic. The most severe of the two was magic which would affect other generations, and the other was time-magic, which is, as you undoubtedly know, still frowned upon but certainly not Unforgivable anymore.

During this time, however, there had come a group of people into power that hunted down families with new-born babes, and decided whether they were magical or not. If this was the case, the children were taken from their parents and trained to become part of a 'holy' army to fight against heretics. That was when Arglwydd Seren, a rather eccentric wizard, entered the scene. He was part of a rebellion group who fought against the enslavement of the children. During his life, however, he had never paid heed to rules, merely learning and practicing whatever magic he found, thus also magic deemed Unforgivable during that time.

He promised the rebellion group that he would stop it all, but that he himself would decide how, and he made them promise that no punishment would follow his actions if he had to break the law for it. And so, he created a spell, which, sadly, cost him his own life in the end. He bound his magic to the earth, giving it the purpose to conceal and suppress the magic of children younger than six years old. Through a mistake in his spell work, magic is indeed not tangible in children, but it depends on the strength of one's magic how long they are protected, and magicians with very, very weak magic can never use their magic, thus remaining Squibs for the rest of their life, even if they are no full Squibs."

"So to summarise that, once magical power grows beyond a certain level, the protection is broken?" Hermione thoughtfully said,

"Yes. And, as this affected later generations, the magic fell into the category of Unforgivable magic."

"But the rebellion won?" Harry asked.

"Indeed, and, in honour of Seren's death, his work was declared as legal, thus being the first recorded case of legal use of an Unforgivable."

"But… is that why children cannot use their magic until they're about five?"

"Yes, and the aftereffects are the accidental outbursts of magic that follow because it has been suppressed for such a long time. However, it is better than slavery…"

"How powerful was Seren then? If it affects children even now…"

"Magic bound to earth does not fade. It is like a spirit, who still wanders this earth after centuries, no weaker or stronger than before. There is, of course, a limit to its reach. When travelling the world, the thing that amazed me most of all was the control children had over their magic at ages of two or three… it is because their magic was never concealed. There have been cases though, when there as well, toddlers were rounded up and trained as soldiers."

"Has no-one tried to repeat Seren's spell then?"

"Several, and some have succeeded. In West-Europe, Northern America… Russia… It is why magical schools are so important there as well. Children cannot learn it during their early childhood and have to be educated afterwards."

"I never knew…" Hermione suddenly mumbled, appearing shocked.

"I'm sure you would have if Dumbledore hadn't influenced your mind" Harry tried to soothe the girl. "It kept you away from any subjects you thought were dark… including anything about Unforgivables but the basic information, surely."

"No talking!" A sharp voice suddenly said, and the three of them looked up at Madame Pince, Marvolo sneering. Harry saw him finger his wand for a moment, but stopped him by touching his arm, shooting him a warning look. With another glare at the woman, he huffed and turned around, followed by Harry and Hermione.

"And what about this thing about magic not being genetic?" Hermione asked when they were out of the library.

"It isn't. It is not known how exactly wizards and witches are 'chosen' by magic, but it is indeed not genetic."

"But," Harry objected, "The children of witches and wizards are nearly always magical themselves."

"Indeed, but not necessarily. And children of Muggles who have never come into contact with magic can be magical… It is still a mystery how it happens, but my theory is that someone needs to have a certain compatibility with magic for it to settle. The chances that a child of two magical beings is compatible with magic themselves is pretty high. It would also explain why some families are very good at healing, or dark curses, or other areas of magic. Compatibility…"

"That would make sense…" Hermione said, frowning. "When I found out I was a witch, I tried finding out if I had magical ancestors, but found none… Therefore, I also concluded that it could not be a genetic trait. However, shouldn't it mean that I am 'not compatible' with magic, like my parents?"

"No. Muggleborns are born for the same reason Squibs are. You have half of your father's genes and half of your mother's, but that does not mean you are exactly like them. There are parts you might not have inherited that not suited well with magic."

"Trying to dissect magic?" A humoured, haughty voice asked, and they turned, seeing an arrogant-looking boy. "Fools. Magic** is**, why should you question it? It is just a tool."

"And who are **you**?" Harry rudely asked, narrowing his eyes at the other.

"Zacharias Smith.

"Well, Mr Smith." Marvolo said on an icy tone that made the boy falter for a moment. "I certainly have no idea why** you** would be granted magic, but you have it, and should try to use it with a bit more** respect**."

"Respect? For what? It's mine! Oh, why did I even bother speaking to you...If you're associating with that liar of a Potter, then you're a lost case either way. Good day."

Before Harry could stop Marvolo, a white wand was out and a Cruciatus curse followed a quickly thrown silencing spell. Smith fell to the ground, his mouth opened in a silent scream. Perfectly composed, Marvolo sauntered over to the boy he was torturing and kneeled down, lifting the spell, waiting till the child's eyes focused on his face.

"You will** never** call him a liar again, understood?"

With an ashen face, Smith nodded, tears leaking from his eyes.

"Good. I'm glad that we understand each other."

"Who are you?" Smith asked with a quivering voice after the silencing spell was lifted.

"Thanos du Fuga."

Baffled, the boy looked up to him. "The owner of the apothecary in Hogsmeade? But… why... how…"

Another chilly glare shut him up. "Nevermind the why and how… and you will, of course, not speak of** anything** that happened here. Or else, you'll face consequences **far** more painful than** that**." Marvolo stalked back to Harry and Hermione, the latter looking as white as the tortured boy.

Harry latched onto his arm when Smith had turned and fled, and looked up, worried. "How are you so sure he won't immediately run to Dumbledore or another teacher?"

"Compulsion charm combined with an irrational fear of what would happen if he would go against my word."

"Not that irrational." Hermione muttered, ducking her head quickly when now crimson eyes flicked to her face. "I just meant to say, my Lord…" she hesitated and looked up in fear, stiffening when he shot her a cruel grin, his white teeth flashing.

"Indeed… not that irrational. Now, Harry, as you know, I have to leave for a few days…" Harry's face fell, but he nodded reluctantly. "You will most likely have your magic back by then, and are ready to get those memories. Have you already found a way to deal with the phoenix?"

"Yes, I have." Harry nodded. "And when I have my magic again I will try to learn that freezing spell as soon as possible. Eyolf already agreed to teach me for a whole day, so I'm sure I will be able to execute it by the time his lesson is over. I already practiced it a lot, after all. He said that, even though it did not work before because of my inability to cast the spell, I would most likely be able to pick it up very soon now."

"Good. Don't try breaking into Dumbledore's office before I'm back, you understand? If something goes wrong…"

"I won't."

"Well then… good luck. I'll take my leave now."

"Now? Already? I thought you would leave in the evening!"

"Rosier informed me there was some commotion in the ranks… I want to know what that's about as soon as possible, so yes, I'll leave immediately."

"Be safe." Harry said, and got an incredulous look in return.

"Of course I'll be** safe**. They're my subordinates."

The teen merely shrugged and hugged the man tightly, pressing his head against a cold chest. "Still… just, be safe."

"I promise. Goodbye, my love."

He leaned forward, briefly capturing Harry's lips before pulling away and turning around, marching through the long corridor. Harry smiled, wondering if Snape had learnt the whole cloak-billowing thing from the Dark Lord…

"Well Mione, shall we go back to Gryffindor tower?"

"Actually, I still have a lesson. Arithmacy. I have to go now."

"Ah, right… I still need to catch up on my potions homework… that git really wants to kill us with it, it seems."

"Harry! He's still a professor!"

"And my subordinate." Harry whispered with a devilish smile, laughing when it was met with a roll of the girl's eyes.

* * *

For those of you who are interested to know: The information about 1717 being the year the Imperius, Cruciatus and Killing curse were made Unforgivable is canon.

Read and Review!

xx GeMerope


	24. Part I Chapter XXIV

The last chapter of Part I

Enjoy!

* * *

"Again."

Harry mentally rolled his eyes at the word, which seemed to be the only thing that had been said during the past… hours. He positioned himself again, raising his wand at the other to fire the curse, but before the spell had even left his lips, Eyolf was nowhere to be seen. Disoriented, Harry spun around, trying to locate the other. Suddenly, he felt a knife at his throat, pressing down briefly before retreating.

"Tell me again why I need to do this?" Harry asked, obviously annoyed. "I have mastered the freezing spell, and **even** the copying spell, though it's not even necessary for the mission anymore. I could have already been up in that office!"

"But you're not allowed to be until the Dark Lord is back, and thus, I have taken it upon myself to teach you valuable spells and battle techniques, something many young assassins in the guild would hang themselves for."

"If having the choice between this and hanging myself, I'd know which I'd rather do…" the teen muttered, but Eyolf ignored him.

Harry narrowed his eyes and took on a fighting stance before the man told him to, feeling the need to prove the man at least **once** that he could live up to the high expectations. Merlin's balls, he'd battled**dragons**!

And had sex with one, but that was beside the point.

A sudden idea struck him, and he carefully waited, not moving until the other did. He saw a muscle twitch on Eyolf's left hand and he ducked to the right a second after, narrowly avoiding a blow. Taking a deep breath, he recalled a passage from a book he'd read earlier and spun around while weaving a spell. Only when he saw the other stop, confused, did Harry know it had worked, and with a spark of pride, he strengthened the spell that bent the light until it went around him, effectively making himself invisible for a few moments. He cancelled the spell and took advantage of the split second he had to throw a Stupefy at Eyolf, disappointed when the man whirled out of the way.

Harry stopped, eyeing the other, who wore a grim expression now, and for some reason, the teen thought that he was finally being taken seriously. Frantically, he tried to think of other curses and hexes which could make an impression on the assassin, and while he could think of a few, he had never really practiced any of them and didn't think he could pull them off without practice. Finally, Eyolf attacked, and when Harry let himself fall on the floor, he transfigured the stone so it rose and formed steel. He remembered a spell Devaki had taught him during summer and quickly estimated the chance it would succeed. He rolled away and got to his feet, wondering why Eyolf wasn't constantly attacking him like he had been earlier. Deciding it was useless to try and figure out how the mind of the man worked, Harry slowly began to concentrate on the invisible water particles in the air, forcing them together. The air turned moist, and with a second spell, the teen rose the temperature to boiling level, careful to stay out of the mist that formed.

The other escaped most of the effects of the curse by quickly cooling the water again, but Harry saw with satisfaction that Eyolf's skin had taken on a reddish tint at some spots on his body.

"Not a very common spell." The man said, but while Harry tried to gauge what his reaction meant, a nonverbal spell shot out of the tip of Eyolf's wand, throwing Harry back harshly. When the teen finally got up again though, wobbling on his feet and raising his arm once more, he was stopped by the assassin. "Come here, Harry." the man said, waving him closer, giving him an appreciating look when the other did not let his guard down. "Good, trust no-one." he spoke, nodding. He donned the hood of his oddly gray/green flecked cloak again which had slipped off during practice, leaving his eyes invisible to Harry again as they both sat down on the floor.

"Harry Potter… do you know what war is?"

Having not expected that question, Harry was thrown off balance for a moment and answered the first thing that came to mind. "People... fighting for their beliefs?"

"Do you really think every follower of the Dark Lord fights for his cause? Or that every member of the Order wants the same thing? There are Death Eaters who are here just for war, with no other purpose or goal. I ask again, what is war?"

"I don't know." Harry shrugged. "When envisioning war, I see two sides facing each other, following commands… trying to win."

"Indeed… war is nothing more than trying to defeat your enemy by force. It is madness and chaos. It is sadness and anger. It can be an addictive thrill, but for most, it is something disgusting. You will have to fight, Harry Potter, out on a battlefield, multiple times. Can you do that?"

"I… I think so."

A cynical smirk told him it was the wrong answer.

"You**think** so? When standing there, facing the other army, you can't run or hide anymore Potter. You will have to **know** you can do it. To slaughter people without mercy, to lock your feelings when comrades die next to you. And there is one thing that you must**never** forget."

"What?"

"There is no glory in battle. You cannot compare reality with silly dreams. Children's games of war, where people duel one on one, with infinite rules of honour, are not reality."

"But... how can one fight without honour? Even here at Hogwarts, when dueling, there are rules… the previous time I encountered Ma- Voldemort, back when he was still my enemy, he insisted on dueling etiquette."

Eyolf leaned back and sighed. He might have closed his eyes, but even though he was looking in the direction of the ceiling, the hood still covered half of his face so Harry was unable to tell. "I have heard of your adventures, Potter. You have indeed faced situations no child should, but those encounters can't be compared to what you still have to do. In your first year, your second, your fourth… all your fights were against one person, and all you know is a proper duel.

But no-one **cares** about that when facing hundreds of enemies, all trying to kill you. I have told you before that you have to use every means possible to stay alive when confronted with enemies. You cannot afford to**not** throw a dagger in someone's back during a battle if it gives you a chance to live a few seconds longer. If you would follow the code of honour, that same person you didn't kill might slit your throat from behind later.

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Because the harsh truth is this: you are nowhere ready. You are **not** a master duelist Harry, and though I can't deny that you have great potential, you do not have enough fighting experience. What fifteen-year-old boy would? You will have to go up against trained Aurors, magical creatures, people like Albus Dumbledore, who have more knowledge and magic than you could ever dream of. And in battle, all of them are your potential enemy. Every man and woman will fight for themselves and if someone covers you, that's great, but don't expect it to happen, because then you will be **dead**. The Dark Lord will have other things on his mind than to watch your every move, and you will be one of the prime targets of the Light."

"If I'm lost anyways… what's the use of saying this?" Harry asked, fear gripping his throat.

"You are not lost. If you are aware enough, and, no matter how little you may like it, play foul enough, you will survive, and that's the only thing that should really count. Don't even think of why you're fighting, just do it until you notice that no enemy still stands. Be aware of your surroundings and use them to your advantage. If the place of the battle is decided before the actual battle, go to it and try to find things in the landscape that may help you, find an eventual shelter, or a rock under which you can stash helpful tools."

"Thank you. Really, thank you for your advice, I really appreciate it. But there's one thing I don't understand… you're an assassin, but you're saying you don't like war? Don't like fighting?"

Eyolf sighed. "I don't know. I was trained to feel indifferent to fighting, to killing. It really doesn't bother me anymore. But I know I used to despise war, and bloodshed in general."

"Then... why choose to become an assassin?" Harry asked, confused.

A laugh, sounding strangely insane and desperate, startled the teen, and his senses immediately went on alert. The normally composed man shook, and Harry didn't know if it was from crying or laughing.

"Choose..." the man finally wheezed out. "Choose? Why would anyone.."

"What?" Harry asked, thoroughly puzzled now.

"I am a member of the Assassins Guild Potter… While the happenings inside the Guild itself are strictly secret, the way members are recruited is common knowledge. You honestly do not know?"

"Well, I'm **sorry** for not having been raised by wizards."

Eyolf sighed and drew a sign on the floor, but Harry couldn't see what it was from his angle and the man wiped it out again after he'd finished it. "The Guild has eyes everywhere, and… selects… young witches and wizards whom they think talented. It is the nightmare of every parent. The child is abducted and trained, brainwashed, punished severely when anyone notices he or she even thinks of the world outside the Guild."

"That is horrible…"

"Perhaps… but also necessary. Look at it like this: the few people who have the capabilities to fight and survive are trained. Therefore, the majority of people will not have to fight. If there were no assassins, if no-one did the dirty work behind the scenes, then open war would be a common practice. The Guild chooses those who are most likely to make it through and gives them all the training and equipment they need."

"But what if you don't want to be trained?"

"By then, you have seen secrets you shouldn't, and as such, are a danger. Recruits who try to leave are eliminated."

"You don't sound like you agree with it."

"I know why it is done… I agree that it has to be done. But no-one there is loyal to the Guild. Every single person who is a part of it was a victim once as well, and all know how it feels to be taken away from everything they ever knew. But we have drifted off topic. War… I hope you can do it, Potter. I really hope you can. If the Dark wins this war, then we might finally have the world and the freedom we should have. Now, do you want to rest or train some more?"

With a sad smile, Harry got up and gripped his wand tighter. "I've still not learned enough."

"Start."

* * *

Up, Up…

The howling wind got hold of his clothes, trying to pull him backwards, and his hair whipped around his face, but Harry didn't care, concentrating only on the feeling of flying. It had been too long since he had rode his broom, but even after a whole summer, the Firebolt still obeyed his every thought and touch. Storm clouds packed together above his head, and he was eerily reminded of the match against Hufflepuff in his third year, when he had nearly fallen to his death after being attacked by a Dementor.

He shook his head to clear the memory and hovered still for a moment before swaying to the right and dropping height. His stomach jolted as he saw the ground coming closer, and at the last moment, he spun away and upwards, a move he'd learnt from Viktor Krum. He laughed, knowing he was probably grinning like an idiot, but he didn't care, even if someone were to watch him. This was something he was born for, the thing he enjoyed most of all at Hogwarts, the thing he treasured above all in his life. Freedom.

XxX

With an adoring smile, Marvolo watched his lover from behind the trees. He'd just gotten back from his manor after drilling some sense in a couple of followers who had thought it necessary to take over control in his absence. Having sensed Harry's exuberance through the link they shared, he'd easily found the teen, and his heart had nearly stopped as he'd seen Harry speeding to the ground, pulling away only at the last second.

Gryffindors…

"Marvolo!" He looked up, and Harry flew towards him, stopping only at the last moment, smirking when having noticed the other flinch. Insufferable brat. His mouth twitched when the teen jumped into his arms, embracing him tightly. Perhaps not so insufferable after all.

"I didn't know you would be back this evening." He hummed and buried his head in the unruly raven hair that smelled like rain. "I missed you."

"Missed you too. Did you behave?"

"When do I not?" Harry cheekily replied, which earned him a soft slap on the head. "Alright, alright. I behaved as much as I do normally."

"Not very reassuring." Marvolo huffed, and changed the topic. "You are a good flier. I never had much with brooms myself, but I can see you're very talented."

"Thanks." Harry mumbled, blushing. "I'm the Gryffindor Seeker."

"Have you ever thought about playing on professional level?"

"Professional?" Harry asked, stunned. "I… I never gave it much thought. Before, I wanted to become an Auror, but… I have to say that constantly playing Quidditch is very appealing. I love flying so much…

"Then perhaps it is something you could think about." Marvolo smiled, carding his fingers through his lover's hair.

"Will do… Hmm… that feels good." The teen yawned and wrapped his arms around the man's waist, hugging him closer.

"We should go inside… it's late."

"Yeah," Harry mumbled, but gave no indication of having any desire to move.

"Come on... we can't sleep outside love."

"I know, I know… Giant spiders and werewolves out to hunt me and all that. Been there, done that, forest is a scary place."

"I will pretend to know what you are talking about."

"Good. You'd better change. Wouldn't want anyone seeing you out here like this."

With a sigh, Marvolo started his transformation. While it wasn't painful, he hadn't gotten used to the Metamorphmagus skills he had acquired yet. When he opened his eyes again, he was considerably shorter, and with distaste, he looked down at a fleshed out hand. Being in this body, while necessary, was not something he favoured. It was nice to fool people with it, but it reminded him too much of the body he had gotten rid of. The body that had linked him to his father… he quickly schooled his features when Harry gave him a questioning look.

"It's nothing." he said, and took Harry's hand. In silence, they went to the castle.

"Now you're back…" Harry finally whispered, and Marvolo felt the teen's fingers tighten around his own. "Does that mean I have to… I can…"

"Yes."

"When?"

"When you think you're ready."

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." the other whispered back, and right in front of the doors of Hogwarts, they stopped and turned to look out over the grounds surrounding the castle. Harry was not the only one who was going to miss this. But he'd return again... **They** would return. "Tomorrow I'll go. And when I have the memories, we can flee" Harry finally spoke, and when they looked at each other, Marvolo saw a determined glint in his love's eyes.

"You'll meet up with Eyolf right before going to Dumbledore's office?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now, go back to Gryffindor tower then love… You are going to need your rest." Marvolo gave the teen a last tight hug, before Harry broke away and walked through the doors, while the Dark Lord took another way to the Room of Requirement that did not attract as much attention.

_Harry be safe… be strong._

* * *

"What is this?" Harry asked, turning the ball he'd just gotten over in his hands.

"A device for neutralising defensive wards." the man replied in a gruff voice that clearly indicated that he should stop asking questions.

"Something like that exists?" he said nonetheless, surprised. "Why do people even bother warding stuff then? If anyone who has this can just touch their properties and walk into warded rooms…"

Eyolf looked at him as if he was an imbecile. "The reason that people ward their belongings, Potter, is to protect them."

"But-"

"No-one else**has** something akin to what you are holding now Potter." the assassin barked. "While not highly complex magic, using the energy in stones to manipulate magic is an art which has been forgotten by the average witch and wizard. Hardly anyone knows the effect they can have on our magic, if used right. The device in your hands is one of a kind, and if it had been mine, you can be assured that I would not have trusted it in the hands of someone as incapable as **you**."

After having given Eyolf the dirtiest look he could muster, Harry put the stone orb in the pocket of his robes. "Thank you for your **ever** so kind words."

"Aren't you going to ask who it is from?"

"Regardless of what you seem to think, I'm not a complete idiot. I'll thank him personally." Harry bit back. "I'm going. See you in the office." and with that, he spun around on his heel and briskly walked away.

He threw the invisibility cloak over his head and muffled his footsteps with a spell to not draw unwanted attention. He had purposely announced that he would head to bed early, while Ron and Hermione tried to keep his dorm mates in the common room by organizing a tournament of exploding snap. The Twins had suggested a tournament with toys they had developed themselves as advertisement, but even they had not been able to stand up to Hermione, who declared their not-yet-completely-tested toys as unsafe and irresponsible.

That Ron had agreed with her had probably more to do with the news concerning a letter Hermione had gotten from a certain Quidditch Seeker than his sense of responsibility. Fred and George had 'accidentally' spoken about while Ron was in the room.

Anyhow, he had transfigured some clothes till they could pass for him, -if nobody would inspect it up close-, and had flown out of the window on his broom with only his cloak, wand, map, and sleeping-powder doused bread. Should something go wrong, and he was not personally caught, he had an alibi.

Taking a deep breath, Harry went to the office, avoiding student and teacher alike. It was a strange feeling to walk around with his invisibility cloak on while there were still so many people in the castle. Usually he'd always snuck around past midnight. A warm calmness flooded through him suddenly, and he mentally thanked his lover, knowing Marvolo would hear him, even if Harry could not do the same. It eased him to know the man would be present, watching his every step. He hoped the link would grow stronger soon, so distance would not be a limit anymore to hear each other.

He stopped, almost having passed the stone gargoyle while he was sunken in thoughts. Nobody was watching him, but he still leaned down until his mouth was close to the ear of the statue.

"Pepper imps." he whispered, and he leaned back as the gargoyle jumped out of the way.

Warily, he looked over his shoulder, not wanting anyone to see the suddenly moving staircase, but after checking the map, he saw that there was truly no-one in sight. Harry practically ran up the stairs, not a very smart thing to do when said staircase was moving. He nearly fell on his face when it suddenly stopped while he was still running, but he managed to get hold of a pillar, carefully removing his fingerprints when he was steady again. It wouldn't do to leave evidence, and he'd spied Dudley enough times when the boy had watched detective movies. Harry had always wondered**why** Dudley had watched those though… it was not as if his cousin was intelligent enough to actually understand more than half of the plot, if even that much.

With trembling fingers, he turned the handle, and the massive oak doors swung open effortlessly. The office was quiet, the only sounds being the soft snoring of some of the portraits and the soft tinkling of the several instruments that filled the shelves. Harry could hear his own heart drumming in his chest, and hoped it wasn't as noticeable to others as it was to himself. He took in the surroundings as he stepped in further, trying to look like the average nervous student who had been called to the headmaster's office as he wiped off the sweat on his hands on his robe. The portraits were nearly all asleep, and he released a soft relieved sigh when seeing that the rest did not pay him any attention. They probably couldn't be bothered by everyday life anymore after being dead for so long. Sudden, loud, tinkling noises startled him, and he warily eyed the fragile-looking golden globe on Dumbledore's desk that appeared to be the source of them.

Quickly, he took the small stone orb out of his pocket and went to the desk, pressing it briefly against the instrument, which seemed to calm down. He heard another sound, however, right above his head. His right hand tightened around his wand as a blur of red and gold flew past and landed on a golden perch.

"Hello Fawkes." he said, with a surprisingly steady voice. The bird cocked its head, gave a few melodious thrills and ruffled its feathers. With half an eye on the portraits, he snuck closer to the bird, searching his pocket until his fingers found the bread he'd gotten from the Twins. When he stood directly in front of the Phoenix, he held out his hand to the creature, hoping that Hermione had been right as ever when she said to recall that Phoenixes had the same diet as normal birds.

Fawkes did not move, but Harry could have sworn that the bird raised an eyebrow and gave him a disbelieving look. Aware of the numerous people on the walls, he bit the inside of his cheek. If the blasted bird wouldn't eat from the bread…

He should have made a plan B…

"Look, I brought you something." he said, getting desperate and feeling more stupid with each passing second.

The bird fidgeted on its perch, looking oddly frustrated as well, hopping from one leg on the other and glancing up to the wall behind Harry. Finally, Fawkes gave something akin to a suffering sigh, and dove at the breadcrumbs, swallowing them down in a few seconds. He ruffled his feathers once more and put his head under his wing, as if he was already preparing to sleep, though Harry knew it would take a minute before the sleeping powder would start doing its work. He eyed the Phoenix with suspicion, but apparently he was the only who thought anything weird was going on, as a quick glance at the portraits told him that the whole scene went unnoticed by the snoring men and women.

One of the portraits yawned loudly and turned over in her chair to snuggle deeper into it. Figuring it would be a bad idea to just stand here and do nothing; Harry finally fully drew his wand and tried to sneakily point it at the walls.

"_**Congelasco**_!" he whispered, and a nearly unnoticeable ripple went through the air, somehow turning it more rigid. He inspected his work for a moment, letting his eyes glide over each frame, but there was a clear difference. Not a single streak of paint moved, no sound was to be heard anymore, and for a moment, Harry got a flashback of the headmaster's office at his primary school, where Muggle paintings had lined the walls.

Turning to the windows, he opened the curtains with a spell. He watched as Eyolf gracefully heaved himself up, unlocked the windows, and clambered into the office. It was only when his feet hit the floor that Harry concluded that the man had no muffling spell on him, even though he had made absolutely no sound at all before. He got a strange feeling when realizing he would no longer see Eyolf once he was gone from Hogwarts. Despite the hated lessons and general dislike, Harry was sure he'd miss the sarcastic comments, unexpected advice and the brief glimpses of who Eyolf could have been if the Assassins Guild would not have 'chosen' and trained him.

"Any difficulties?" the man said, giving Harry piercing stare with his harsh, grey eyes. "It took longer than I thought.

"Fawkes didn't want to take the bait for a moment, but he is finally asleep."

"Bait?"

"Sleeping powder."

It was silent for a moment, but he could deduce from the disbelief on the other's face that his teacher did not like his method. "**Sleeping powder**? You chose to knock the blasted animal out with a method that could have failed if the bird had refused to take it?"

"Ehhhhh…" Harry said, gulping. "It worked?"

"At least you managed to freeze the meddling paintings properly…" Eyolf muttered, but right at that moment, a voice spoke up.

"Could you two hurry up? I know Albus left, but I checked the Order's headquarters, and it will not take long before he realizes that Fudge has no meeting planned with him at all. Knowing Fudge, Albus won't be able to escape without at least drinking a polite cup of tea, but still, you never know what the old goat has planned." Frozen, Harry looked up to the wall, seeing one of the portraits sneer at him. "Well?"

"I... excuse me... but who are you?"

"Who I **am**? Students these days! Not even the least ounce of respect! I am Phineas Nigellus Black, former headmaster of Hogwarts, and you had better not forget it!"

A quick check on the other paintings told Harry that the rest of them were still no more than unmoving pieces of canvas and paint. "And how…"

"You are an interesting young man Potter... when I first saw you I thought you were a snot-nosed little bootlicker of Albus, but it appears you have more character. It seems you have seen the right way, so give my greetings to the current Dark Lord… such a shame that my worthless great-great grandson believes Albus like the stupid mutt he is… that a noble family like mine could ever bring forth such scum is-"

"I tried asking a question." Harry said, suddenly a whole lot colder. That he knew Sirius would never support his relationship with Marvolo did not mean that anyone could just go around slandering his name.

"Fine. I ducked out of the painting and moved to my other frame. Though really, did you**have** to freeze this one?" the Slytherin sneered as he fruitlessly tried to lift the glass of wine in his portrait. "I am in serious need for a good drink."

"Are there any other portraits gone?" Eyolf asked.

"A few, but they have their main paintings elsewhere and only visit here when called by the current headmaster. Oh, Fawkes wanted me to tell you that the Sorting Hat needed to speak to you. Stupid bird can't do anything himself."

"Fawkes?"

"You don't really think he would eat something so obviously suspicious, do you? Some here are disapproving of the Albus' methods, so Fawkes tried to communicate with me in the headquarters. Show-off, with his drawing letters in the air with fire… I believe the sorting hat acts like some sort of spokesperson for him…"

"This could be a trap…" Harry mumbled, and Eyolf leaned against the desk, sighing deeply.

"You mucked up**so** much Potter."

"Well I'm not one for making plans! I mostly improvise but it all worked out fine till now, eh?"

"That attitude is going to get you killed… luckily you will not be my problem anymore tomorrow. Oh blessed independence. Now, give me that stone so I can cancel the wards on the memories."

Harry handed him the stone, but didn't listen to any of Eyolf's further muttering and walked to the Sorting Hat, deciding to take the risk.

"_Wise choice."_A whispery voice said in his mind when the Hat touched his head._"Now, listen carefully. Albus has made many mistakes, and his biggest mistake is that he made most of those on purpose. Many occupants of Hogwarts can see through his lies. Ghosts, portraits, yes, even some house-elves are no longer loyal to him. Take his memories and in time, use those to fuel the fire of rebellion within these walls. I see your thoughts, your memories and your plans, but no matter what happens or what you will find in Albus' mind, try to convince the Dark Lord that the fool must stay alive for a while still. I have seen the minds of millions of people throughout the ages, seen the minds of every single person who currently works at the Ministry, and you can be certain of one thing. If Albus dies, the Ministry will recognize that Voldemort is back and throw up its defenses. However, now, they still see the senile man who is trying to revive a ghost of the past who is long dead."_

"But the war will be open in a few days..." Harry protested. "They will see that he is back anyways, and then the Ministry and Dumbledore can combine their forces."

"_No, listen… if you go after Dumbledore first, then the war cannot break out yet, and by the time Albus is killed, the ministry will have enough forces to fend you off. But now, they are still weak, and your army is strong. Deal with the Ministry first... even if Dumbledore can use that time to grow stronger, your power will grow beyond imagination once you have seized control over the government and press."_

"I understand. One question... I always thought that Fawkes was loyal to Dumbledore. Hasn't he been the headmaster's familiar for years? Why is he helping me, and thus the Dark, as well?"

"_Fawkes... please don't call him that… it's a pet name Albus gave him and he doesn't quite like it. Apparently it's the name of some Muggle terrorist. His real name is Eldur Vaen. Eldur for friends. "_

Right. Trust Dumbledore to name a highly intelligent magical creature after a Muggle.

"_It is true that his loyalty was bound. He used to be the familiar of Grindelwald, but after Albus won the famous battle, he tied Eldur to him. Thankfully, as a safety measure in case anything like this were to happen, to secure his own freedom, the phoenix had shed two tail feathers right before becoming Grindelwald's familiar. Grindelwald gave these to Dumbledore after that happened, an invaluable gift to try and restore the peace between the two of them that had been broken the summer before. It did not work, but what Eldur had intended when he shed those feathers did. Dumbledore accepted the gift and was delighted by it, even though he never had the intention to restore the bond he and Grindelwald once had. He brought them to Ollivander, to whom he owed a favour at the time. And so, two wands were made. Two brother wands, who in time, would choose two people who were worthy of wielding them. After Grindelwald's deafeat and Dumbledore 'freeing' Eldur, as he called it, the phoenix was enslaved to the man, hoping the wands would be chosen soon. From the moment Tom Riddle's hand touched the wood which held a piece of Eldur, a bond was formed. However, it was incomplete for years, and Eldur still had to serve Albus. But then the second wand was chosen…"_

"By me." Harry whispered.

"_Indeed."_

"So then, Eldur was free?"

"_Pitifully, Fate is cruel to those who try to influence their own lives by involving others. As you know, Tom Riddle, who had changed his name to Voldemort, was a mere spirit at the time, and had lost the connection with his wand. As such, the bond was broken again, and when the other wand chose you, there was still no more than half a bond. The other half, this time. Eldur has only recently been freed, on the moment Voldemort was resurrected."_

"Potter! Are you still going to stand there for a long time?" Someone interrupted, and Harry's head shot up until his eyes met Eyolf, who was already putting the flasks containing Dumbledore's memories back in the rack and removing every sign that they had been touched.

"I... I don't know… Are you done copying those already?"

"Of course… you've been talking for minutes already! If Phineas was right, then you'd better hurry."

"**If** I was right?**If**?" said man protested. "Now listen here, I-"

The rest of his words were drowned out by the Sorting Hat, who began to speak again. _"I won't hold you up much longer then. The only things I still have to tell you are that the link you have with the Dark Lord is not only established through his Horcrux in you, but also because of your wands and your mutual connection to Eldur. I see you cast the phenomenon known as Priori Incantatem… because of this, not only your mind but also your magic can flow freely through both your bodies. The only thing you do not share is a body… although I can also see that at times, you do…"_ Harry blushed fiercely at the suggestive tone.

"Shut up!"

"_Ah, Harry, you have no idea what a relief it is to see your mind after years of being put on the head of innocent first-years. I'm sure the scarf would agree…"_

"What scarf?" Harry asked, puzzled

"_Nevermind that now." The Hat answered, sounding as if he were far away, thinking about something else. "First the Ministry, then Dumbledore. Remember that, yes? If you need to talk to me again, go to the Order's Headquarters, and let Phineas know that you want to speak me. He can alert Eldur, who can bring me to you."_

Harry mentally sighed. It was bloody complicated, trying to arrange a talk with an enchanted object.

"_Oh, and something else: Try to replace the sword of Gryffindor with a fake as quickly as possible. It's one of the few things that can kill Horcruxes. Albus has not placed me upon his head for a long time, so I do not know his every thought, but from what I have gathered from him muttering to himself, there's a chance that he knows of the Horcruxes. If he doesn't yet, then he'll quickly figure it out."_

"Really, thank you for all your advice. It has been most helpful."

"_I'm only doing what my master, the good Godric, would have wanted me to. He followed Merlin's ideals, which are quite close to Voldemort's ideals now. Well then, I hope to speak to you soon, Harry. You have a very interesting mind indeed. Now, one tiny last thing… I__**told**__you you would have been better off in Slytherin."_

"Goodbye." Harry said, his eye twitching at the smug tone, and he plucked the Hat off his head, putting him on his shelf again. "Right." He said, turning to Eyolf. "That was very enlightening. I'm ready to go now though."

"Great." The other said, narrowing his eyes at the teen. "If I ever get the task to baby-sit you again, Potter, remind me to not take the job. Or at the very least, remind me to never leave the planning to**you**."

The next hour went by in a blur. Erasing all traces in Dumbledore's office, sprinting to the Room of Requirements to meet up with Marvolo, who shrunk the bag with memories and placed them in a pocket of his robe, flying back to Gryffindor tower to take his packed stuff and Arzón –who did not like being woken from his beauty-sleep- and go back again… Harry's head spun, and he thought the stress was finally getting to him. Now he thought about it, he hadn't even properly said goodbye to most of his friends. No matter, there were more important things right now.

He met Marvolo again in the Room of Requirement and watched with sadness as the man transfigured the room back to what it had been before: an empty space, ready to be formed. Every trace of the room Harry had come to love, with its dark green tapestries, half-translucent curtains hanging all through the room and the magical window with its amazing view, disappeared. Slowly, every personal touch of Marvolo was gone, and it finally dawned upon him that they would really be leaving, and that it was going to be a long time before he would be at Hogwarts again. And even when he would come back, nothing would be the same… other courses, other students, other teachers… his heart clenched, and he buried his face in Marvolo's chest as the man wrapped an arm around him, squeezing his shoulder.

"I know it's hard, leaving here." His lover whispered. "I felt the same after I graduated, even though that was not as abrupt as this. But Hogwarts will always feel like home, no matter how long it takes for you to be able to return. You can trust me on that."

Immensely grateful for the man's presence and sympathy, Harry finally drew away and inhaled briefly. "I guess this is it then… where are Fred and George?"

"They will arrive soon. I just called them through the Mark, and I suppose they need a few minutes before they can excuse themselves and come this way. Also, I assume they want to say goodbye to Ronald, the only family member they can say goodbye to…"

In silence, they waited, and Harry leaned against the other, almost automatically connecting their minds so their feelings were one. Even when the Twins finally entered, he did not release either Marvolo or the link. A millisecond long, Harry saw Fred and George bow through another perspective than his own eyes before it was gone, and surprise flooded through their shared connection from both ends. The teen smiled, wondering how much further their mind-link could be explored.

Finally, Harry reached for the hand of one of the Twins, who gratefully took it and threw a pitying look at his brother, who was forced to take Marvolo's hand in one of his.

"Let's go."

* * *

"So these are the memories…" Marvolo said, looking at the flask in his fingers, which he held up against the light to have a better look at it. "I wonder what we will find here. _**1899, su. AD & GG**_. I can guess what this one is about… it also has a few scribbled signs on the label, but I can't decipher them. It's probably some sort of personal system to have a general view on the details."

"What do you think it contains?"

"Memories in relation to Gellert Grindelwald… 1899, summer… They used to be friends... more than friends, even. There are eleven flasks with this label, the greatest amount of memories of the same time period. I know they met at the start of summer, and broke apart two months later. This one could be from anywhere in between those months."

"How many flasks are there?"

"More than three hundred."

"**WHAT?**" Harry exclaimed. "When are we ever going to watch all that!

"Now. However, we will start with all the flasks that are labeled with TR, in chronological order."

"And how many are that…?"

"Only a few. Six, to be exact. I imagine one is of his first meeting with me, and another of the day I tried to get a position here. I have no idea about the others…"

Harry shrugged and sat down on the couch, looking at the Pensieve. "Then let's find out."

Marvolo's predictions came true, but it shocked Harry that Dumbledore had so many memories other than his own. When they emerged from the Pensieve after having watched the fourth memory, he took in his lover's grim expression and said: "It's almost as if he started collecting memories of you. The first two were his own, but then… the memory of that Ministry worker confronting your granddad and the memory of your Uncle… they're not something he would have gotten if he hadn't explicitly searched for it, right?"

"The one of my Uncle... perhaps. I know Dumbledore visited him in Azkaban, right before Morfin died. He was convinced that I had killed my father and grandparents, and probably wanted to search proof for that in Morfin's memory. I hadn't thought he would actually get this information though… The second memory surprises me though. I hadn't thought he would deem me receiving the Award for Special Services to the school worthy of remembering so clearly."

"He knew Hagrid was innocent, and that you had framed him… it's probably the reason why. Right, two more to go… luckily they're short. I hope the rest is like this as well."

A new memory was poured into the bowl and after looking at each other once, they delved in again to see the remaining two memories. When they were back in the room after seeing the fifth, Marvolo's face had hardened considerably.

"What**was** that?"

"That was my old potions professor. He is the one who told me that it is possible to split my soul into seven pieces. I assume that he was ashamed of the memory and tried to modify it himself. As you can see, it has been done poorly. I certainly hope Dumbledore has not gotten his hands on the real version. If he has, I will have to kill him first, no matter what that Hat told you."

"Only one way to find out…" Harry said with worry, eyeing the innocent-looking flask, the last full one with TR on the label.

Relief flooded him when the trip into the Pensieve was over. It had been the memory Marvolo had described earlier, from the time he had applied for the position of DADA professor. "So he doesn't know."

"Indeed, and he hasn't found another vital memory either."

"A memory of what?"

"The time I acquired two objects which I would turn into a Horcrux… And as I have removed them from the places I used to store them, Dumbledore's last memory is worthless as well. I hid one of the Horcruxes in the Room of Requirement after the job interview was finished, but it's obviously no longer here."

"What are they?"

"Didn't I tell you about my Horcruxes?" Marvolo asked with surprise clear in his voice.

"You... didn't get very far with telling me about them… you started with the diary, and then…" Harry hesitated, ashamed by how weak he had been, crying and fainting over the fact that he'd killed the diary. Of course, he still hated that he had done it, but rationally, he hadn't had a choice back then, other than let himself be killed.

"Ah, I see…the objects I spoke about are Hufflepuff's cup and Ravenclaw's diadem. Two legendary objects of the founders of Hogwarts. My other Horcruxes are Slytherin's ring and locket, both of which you saw in the memories… They were my family heirlooms, so I went after those first, but Hogwarts has always been my first home, and as I was the heir of one of the founders, I felt like the other objects belonged to me as well. As far as I know, there are no other direct heirs alive"

"Not?"

"None that I have met… or perhaps they just don't know it themselves. I am quite sure the Hufflepuff line died out ages ago though. I'm not too sure about Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. I do have a suspicion that the Gryffindor heir may be alive, but I would have to research my theory before I can be certain."

"I wonder who my ancestors are…" Harry mumbled.

"I don't know. I never researched the Potter line. You could ask for a blood test in Gringotts."

"The bank?" Harry asked, surprised. "Isn't it more something for a hospital?"

"I don't mean the bank. Or well, I do, but I meant it as the only place you could find out, not because the building is a bank. Goblins are one of the few beings who are still very good with blood magic, and thus, on top of their banking service, they also provide several blood rituals for people who can pay them enough."

"What would be their price? I'm curious, but not curious enough to give away my whole vault."

"I can assure you that you have more than enough for it… Their price mostly consists of goblin-made items that got into the hands of wizards, plus a sum of gold, but nothing you can't easily pay them. The Potters are an old, rich family. Now, enough chatting. We still have about 300 memories to see."

Harry groaned. They were in for a long night.

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_I feel like a phase of my life has ended. For a little over four years, I found home in Hogwarts. Now, I can no longer return there. I must admit that I am afraid for what the future will bring. Eyolf's words about war still ring clearly though my head. It is like a storm is coming, and I can find no shelter anywhere as the thunder begins. A gloomy comparison perhaps, but a true one._

_Marvolo, on the other hand, seems quite excited. I know he's waited for this moment for years, but I can't share his current feelings. Does it make me a bad person? That I want to curl up and stay in bed until it's all over, while I should stand by his side and support him with all I have? Perhaps tomorrow I will feel different. Spitting through Dumbledore's memories has exhausted me, and the only reason I'm not sleeping yet is because my mind was keeping me awake with all these thoughts._

_There are also good things to be said about leaving Hogwarts, of course… We're in the manor again, and I can finally spend every night with Marvolo again, without seeking excuses or waking up alone in Gryffindor tower. There are no more classes, there's no more homework. – Thank Merlin, I would have never made the deadline for Charms in time –_

_I don't know what exactly has been planned for the coming weeks. It sucks that I can't use magic__**again**__because of the stupid Trace. I'll have to ask Marvolo if he has any way to remove it…  
Oh, he calls… I thought he was sleeping._

_Well then, let's just wait and see what tomorrow will bring._

* * *

Read and Review!

xx GeMerope


	25. Interlude

**Interlude**

The howling wind drowned out all sounds, and the sand and salt water it swept up blurred the vision of the ones who ran and flew over the beach, but their faces were hard with determination. They had been chosen to spread the words, to spread the glorious ideals of the one they looked up to, to announce the message to the world: 'He is back'

_Prophet: October 15th.  
__**  
Do not panic!**__  
Gangs are terrorising the all-magical communities, claiming to be the servants of the long-dead, feared wizard whose name I shall not write. This is a lie! The gangs will be dealt with soon. Special Auror teams have been set up to put a stop to these vandals._

_So far, five towns have suffered damage, and the people fear that the 'Death Eaters' might return. All over Britain, they appear, cloaked and masked, and storm in to preach about the 'good' ideals of the Dark Lord. Our Ministry fears it is a conspiracy, brought into life to rile the people up and spread panic. Your faithful reporter wanted to get to the bottom of this, and spoke to the minister himself._

_"You-Know-Who is__** not**__ back. The seeds of doubt have been planted before summer by Albus Dumbledore, but everyone knows he has seen his best days. Perhaps he regrets not taking the Minister's seat before, I do not know, but I do know that his plan will fail."_

_Would it really be Dumbledore behind this? Trusted sources have confirmed that he gathered up his own 'army' this summer. Is it them beneath the cloaks? And if so, why would he support the 'dark'?_

_One thing is certain: the people are completely safe once these rebels have been caught. And according to our government, this will be soon._

* * *

_**Quibbler: **__October 20th_

_Anyone following the news lately will have heard the message: You-Know-who is back! The Ministry denies it, as it has denied so many things in the past, including its ties with the vampiric community and the shady experiments in the ever-closed Department of Mysteries. We brought those to light, and now we will dispel their new lies as well._

_Several 'riots' have broken out. Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade, Ilkly, Appelby, Puddlemere, Falmouth and every other Wizarding community was made aware of the fact that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is__** back**__. As Harry Potter has told us all before, He rose from the grave, using the Triwizard Tournament as a decoy. Unfortunately, Harry Potter reached the cup first instead of Cedric Diggory, for whom the trap was placed, but both boys were transported to the secret underground base of the Dark, and the world was saved from a glittering evil after all._

_And now, Death Eaters are flooding the country after months of preparation. Months in which the Ministry did nothing. Recognisable by their cloaks and masks, they apparated in and out of villages, shooting stars from the tip of their wands in celebration._

_However, before we all fall into panic, what exactly are they doing? When they are seen, panic spreads, but is there really a reason for it? Several bystanders who did not immediately flee to their homes were witness to well-prepared speeches, Death Eaters handing out flyers, and the spreading of ideals which are not as bad as the Ministry has us believe. Of course, the question remains: how much of it is the truth? Can we begin to place our trust in the ones who wrecked our country before?_

_I think so. Their approach is completely different than before. Pureblood supremacy is not the main issue, and Muggle hunting has been replaced by peaceful cooperation. Perhaps their leader has not only regained his life, but also his sanity._

_By Xenophilius Lovegood._

* * *

Standing on a hill, a dark, tall figure waited, looking out over his people, who were spreading through the village at the foot of the hill. Slowly having gotten used to and opening up to these 'attacks', the villagers remained calm and actually listened to the words. The runes beneath his feet kept the Aurors away, and he smiled thinly. His vision, his world, would be realised.

In time

_Prophet: October 31th  
__**  
Attacks continue!**_

_Despite the Ministries' best efforts, the terrorists who make Britain unsafe have not yet been stopped! Strange force fields surround the villages during attacks. Odd runic shapes have been found near the communities, and a team is still trying to decipher their meaning. Is it a message? Or is it a means to leave the towns open for attacks?_

'_Drastic measures will need to be taken', said Rufus Scrimgeour, head of the Auror Department. 'We will install a post at every possible target.' On the question whether or not this was really the work of the Dark, he had no comment._

_Quibbler: November 12th_

* * *

_**Have our leaders gone mad?**__  
A valid question, if looking at the late actions of the MoM. The Ministry has taken many measures against the Death Eaters. Curfews, Auror patrols, vile creatures known as Dementors, spying glasses watching people in their living rooms, kitchens, toilets and broom closets. They have placed fire ghouls in the hearths so people can't floo anymore, and make use of magical fireflies imitating stars to detect people coming and leaving the villages._

_And for what? So far, there have been no casualties, unless perhaps we count Henry Brennant, the fool of Ilkly, who jumped out of his bedroom window and set himself on fire when a firework spark had accidentally found its way to his room and spelled out the word 'pee'._

_The strange fireworks are appearing all over Britain and are said to be 'the new Dark Mark'. Everywhere where Death Eaters go, this popular animated firework appears. Zonko denies having anything to do with it, but has already publically announced to want to hire the geniuses who created it. So far no answer has been given, but I would like to use this opportunity to ask if any of my readers could perhaps acquire such a delightful piece of firework. It would be a nice touch to the next birthday party of my dear daughter._

_Fudge, as always, denies what is in front of him. Even with the extra 'protection' he has granted the people with, he does not want to hear word of it that the attackers could be followers of the Dark. He ended a reassurance speech to the public with his conclusion that it must be Dumbledore's doing somehow._

_Dumbledore himself has not said a word yet. Are we, the people, supposed to be left in ignorance? The only one whom we seem to be able to trust currently is the Dark Lord._

_I wonder if Fudge will still deny You-Know-Who's return when said Dark Lord will stand in front of the 'Goblin-Crusher'._

_By Xenophilius Lovegood_

* * *

_**Quibbler: November 17th**_

_A big thank you for all our new subscribers and congratulations to Mrs Weavenbee, our 250th subscriber! A fabulous miniature of a dancing Snorkack will soon come your way!_

Two men and a woman looked up at the odd house and down at the paper in their hands, as if wanting to confirm this really was the right address. The woman shot a flashy smile as the door opened and a man with long hair stepped out, wearing what seemed to be a combination of a Muggle dress and a wizard robe. Confused, the man listened to them, a smile slowly spreading on his face before he let them in.

* * *

_**Quibbler: November 22nd**_

Exclusive interview with Death Eaters.

_The final proof is here: yesterday, three Death Eaters visited my own house, and let me ask everything I wanted, from their ties with the Nargle society to the case of Harry Potter. And yet again, something covered by the ministry has been brought into life: Azkaban is not as safe as we thought it to be!_

_**1) Who are you?**__  
We are Rodolphus Lestrange, Alecto Carrow and Evan Rosier. We are all Inner Circle Death Eaters. I (Rodolphus) escaped from Azkaban during the mass breakout a few months ago. What? Oh, yes, that wasn't in the news was it? No idea if the Ministry knew about it.  
Rosier –in reply to my questioning him being alive- Ah, no, I'm still alive. I faked my own death so I could remain serving the Dark Lord.  
__**2) What are the true goals of the Dark?  
**__Equality and Freedom. 'There is no good or evil, only power' is one of the favourite quotes used amongst ourselves. Dark Magic, Light magic, and even muggle technology is, as a source, all equal. Why should one be practiced only in hiding, one in the open, and another not at all? It depends on what you do with it. We want to be able to practice magic out in the open without a Statute of Secrecy in the way, or laws which condemn the magic of our ancestors. Other things we want changed is the way people look at magical creatures. They are often suppressed while they have just as much of a right to live in freedom as we do.  
__**3) Do you have ties with other communities of highly intelligent creatures like Nargles, Werewolves and Blurds?  
**__Rosier: Never heard of Nargles and Blurds, but yes, we do have ties with the werewolves. They are humans like us, except on one night. It is unfair that they should be shunned their whole life for what they do on twelve or thirteen night in a year.  
Carrow: They're not the only ones who will benefit when we take over Britain though. Nearly all creatures and beasts stand behind us, as they know in whom they can really trust.  
__**4) How will you deal with your Lord's worst enemy: Harry Potter?  
**__Carrow: That will be revealed soon enough. The only thing I'm allowed to say is that he wishes no harm to come to Potter. Soon you will have your answer.  
__**5) How did the dark go from Muggle-hunting to Muggle-loving?**__  
Carrow: did we?  
Lestrange: Yes, we did.  
Rosier: Let me handle this.  
Carrow: but- (cut off by Rosier)  
Rosier: As you can see, it's still an issue, even within our ranks… I am one of the few who really knows how much this point changed since the first war actually. Currently, we are experimenting with a few Muggles –oh, don't look at me like that, I expressed myself wrongly- We are trying to see what happens when befriending open-minded Muggles and then giving away our secret. It is a lot better than I thought it would be. When the Dark Lord ordered me to befriend Muggles I thought he had gone mad… hold on, can you cut this out of the article? No? Why not! Oh *** I'm ***.  
Lestrange: Our original dislike for Muggles originates from the witch hunts, but those were centuries ago. While we did not change much, Muggles did, and according to our Lord, we are ready to get back to the time of Merlin, when wizard and Muggle alike-  
Carrow: And witch  
Lestrange: wizard, witch and Muggle alike lived together. Yes, in the First war we saw them as little more than… animals, I guess. We, as purebloods, have never really had much contact with them, and saw them as magic-fearing, lesser beings, but once you get to know them they're not all that bad. They're just… people with a disability, like Squibs. And thus, it is our duty to treat them as such and help them overcome their faults by giving them guidance.  
__**6) Sirius Black: killer or leadsinger?  
**__-laughing-  
Lestrange: He sounds like a drowned cat when singing, and I can know, I was only a few cells next to him. If he ever was a leadsinger, it must have been from the worst band ever.  
Rosier: However, he's not a Death Eater either. Never was, never will be. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I want to clear his name or anything, that man's a pain in... oh, will this get censored? Well ***. I just wanted to make clear that Black has nothing to do with us. Betrayed his family and our side by running to Dumbledore.  
__**7)**__**Does You-Know-Who know about the bloodthirsty side of Fudge?**__  
Carrow: What bloodthirsty side? He's an ignorant, soft person. He should be glad he's not a woman, cause I doubt he could live with seeing blood every month.  
Rosier: yes, what are you talking about?  
-I, of course, dear readers, informed them about the heinous crimes Fudge committed against goblins, but was not able to convince them. Well, no-one can say I didn't try to warn them-_

_After the interview, these nice people gave me several flyers, which will be included in the Quibblers sent to subscribers. Spread the word: the Dark is not so bad at all._

_By Xenophilius Lovegood._

* * *

_Prophet: November 23rd_

_**Quibbler banned!  
**__After a few overlooked articles, the Quibbler finally went too far. It fabricated an article which made it seem like a long-dead Death Eater had been brought back to life and that two others, who are locked up in Azkaban, run free. The magazine has been removed from shops and kiosks and anyone who is in possession of one of the three last editions will risk a heavy fine. In the face of the very real threat of the continuing attacks of terrorists claiming to be Death Eaters, it is a crime to fuel the fire even more. The editor, Xenophilius Lovegood, is fugitive, as discovered by the Aurors who came to arrest him._

A determined smile that was more of a grimace spread on his face. So they wanted to stop him… his words, his opinion. They wanted to go against their own laws and suppress freedom of speech… he would not stand for it. With grim satisfaction, he checked the wards around the rickety shack he had transformed into a bunker with the help of a few nice fellows. Speaking of them, he should probably give Rodolphus his mask back which he'd forgotten while being busy creating a connection between the bunker and the Dark Lord's kitchen so Xenophilius wouldn't have to starve to death. Such a shame the death eaters weren't as helpful with giving him information. The man sighed, hoping his Luna would inform him about the on goings of the world as she had previous weeks.

_Quibbler: November 26th_

_**The Truth Suppressed!**__  
As known throughout all of Britain now, the Ministry of Magic is trying to suppress the truth by banning this newspaper, leaving nothing but the Prophet to deliver the messages__** they**__ want to be delivered. I was in the need to flee, and have set up a secret, heavily warded location. Thanks to a good friend of mine, who prefers to remain anonymous, a layer of extra security has been added to the printed Quibblers you will receive from now. Any Quibbler will look like another magazine. Words of truth behind every false witch&weekly smile, is the motto now! -and again, a thank you for the massive amount of new subscribers and praise I have received after the last edition.-_

_Prophet: December 5th_

* * *

_**He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named Returns!**__  
It is with great regret that I must confirm that the wizard styling himself Lord –well, you know who I mean- is alive and among us again," said Fudge, looking tired and flustered as he addressed reporters. "It is with almost equal regret that we report the mass revolt of Dementors who have shown themselves averse to continuing in the Ministry's employ. We believe that the Dementors are currently taking direction from Lord –Thingy. We urge the magical population to remain vigilant. The Ministry is currently publishing guides to elementary home and personal defense that will be delivered free to all Wizarding homes within the coming month."_

_The Minister's statement was met with dismay and alarm from the Wizarding community, which as recently as two days ago was receiving Ministry assurances that there was 'no truth whatsoever in these persistent rumours that You-Know-Who is operating amongst us once more."_

_The Ministry turnaround is obvious. Yesterday morning a mass of Death Eaters flooded the Atrium. For weeks, villages were attacked, but now, the final appearance of You-Know-Who at the Ministry of magic confirms that it is not a joke or merely something planned by the followers of the Dark. Previous accusations that Dumbledore might have been behind it are out of window as well. Albus Dumbledore was unavailable for comment when this paper got printed._

_Our Ministry has taken a new turn, and will try to do whatever it can to protect us from harm. What transpired at the Ministry however, is currently top-secret. No Ministry employee was allowed to give out more information on what was done and said by You-know-Who._

_Meanwhile, we place our hopes on the only one who can defeat the villain now: Harry Potter, who has remained unusually quiet. Will he answer our prayers?_

_Quibbler: December 5th  
__**  
The Dark Lord finally reveals himself!  
**__Faithful readers will have long known that You-Know-Who has been back for a while. Yesterday, he and his followers appeared in the Atrium of the Ministry of magic and held a passionate speech about the future of the Wizarding world. The Ministry is trying to make his words get lost by erasing the memories by setting loose enslaved Blubbering Humdingers on everyone who heard it in an attempt to gain back control, and succeeded quite well, to my deep regret. Two courageous employees and fans of our all favourite newspaper immediately reported what they__** could **__rememberto the Quibbler:_

"_It was all so sudden and frightening. I was just crossing the Atrium to go to my office when they appeared. People started running, but it seemed a shield had been put up, as no-one could get out of the Atrium anymore once there. It was the first time I ever saw him, but there's no mistaking the stories. I knew exactly who went raised himself up on a platform even before he began to speak. But after he was done with his speech, they all… vanished."_

"_Yes, it was very odd. I don't know why they did so. It's almost as if they did not want to conquer the ministry. I cannot for the life of me remember what his words are, but I do know that they calmed me considerably, and I also know that the reason I don't know anymore is because of an Obliviation squad. Apparently You-Know-Who said a lot they didn't like for us to have heard." –note: while she calls them an Obliviation squad, they were actually a hidden branch in the ministry who secretly performs experiments on several magical creatures, hence the humdingers, which normally only suck up stray thoughts.-_

_And thus, the speech remains a bit of a mystery, but one surprising thing became quite clear. He is not the insane man many think he is. If we do not oppress him, this might even become a peaceful surrender. He certainly has no past of animal cruelty like Fudge and has even participated in a program to save the environment by picking up litter left behind by Muggles. A common misconception is that he did so by killing said Muggles to avoid them leaving waste behind in the future. His last words, however, still ring clear, for they still burn on the ceiling of the Atrium:_

_**Magic will be free**_

_By Xenophilius Lovegood._

Putting down both the Quibbler and the prophet, Harry stared into the darkness of the night, only vaguely aware of the man behind him. A soft sigh escaped his lips and he flexed his muscles, which were sore from practice. Ever since Marvolo had gotten rid of Harry's trace, he had been either studying, training or fighting.

A cold hand landed on his shoulder, and his mind immediately sought out the other's mind like his body automatically turned towards the man for comfort.

"It is nearly time, my love. Nearly…" Harry shivered a bit at the promise underneath that whisper.

"I know."

* * *

_Prophet: December 9th_

_**Boy-Who-Lived Unreachable!**_

_For days, several reporters have tried to get access to either Dumbledore or Harry Potter, but every attempt was denied. What __**is **__goingon? Were Minister Fudge's words about Dumbledore true after all? Do they span together with the dark, perhaps? It remains a mystery. One of the saviour's friends, Ms Hermione Granger, seemed rather uncomfortable with our questions and scurried away after a slight apology. Draco Malfoy, one of Harry's classmates, was only slightly more talkative, and assured us there was no reason to worry and that "Potter is probably just busy." On the question what he could be so busy with, we got no answer but a shrug. What is Dumbledore hiding?_

With a hard gaze that only ever entered his eyes when he was alone, an aged man sat behind his desk, appearing to be staring blankly at the wall, but nothing was less true. Albus blinked when a long thrill sounded, and he smiled ruefully. Fawkes looked as vibrant as ever, and the man wondered why people always thought phoenixes were that intelligent. It seemed as if the bird did not even sense the upcoming war or his master's dark mood. Well, as long as it warned him against intruders…

His lips tightened when he looked down at the papers on his desk. Harry… what should he do? The boy had gone missing around the same time Voldemort had appeared. And not only Harry, the Weasley twins had left as well… but Harry could not have gone with Voldemort out of his own free will, could he have?

The chair creaked as he leaned back in it, trying to understand what had happened. Had it been a ploy from the beginning? The moment he'd felt Voldemort's magic at the Dursley's residence… but when Harry had appeared again, Lucius Malfoy had protected… Albus groaned. It had seemed plausible at the time, that Malfoy would see something in 'saving' Harry, but honestly, the man's ideals were a far cry from light. Had he brainwashed Harry? Had Voldemort? If so… how could he ever get Harry to kill the Dark Lord? How could he ever get the boy so far as to sacrifice himself for the Light?

How was he even going to get Harry back in the first place?

* * *

_Quibbler: December 13th_

_**Harry Potter, he who will save our world once more.**_

_First he saved us by taking down a Dark Lord, will he now save us by aiding said wizard? Word reached me that Harry Potter, also commonly known as the Boy-Who-Lived, escaped the clutches of Dumbledore weeks ago. This shocking news might frighten some, but in the light of the latest events, we must wonder whether or not this is really so bad._

_Apparently, Harry Potter disappeared weeks ago, just before the Death Eaters started their campaign, and now, right after the Dark Lord publically appeared, news of that disappearance was finally released. Has he joined You-Know-Who?_

_The answer is unsure still, but, if we look at the timing and circumstances, there is a high possibility._

_We shall know in time._

_Quibbler: revised edition December 15th_  
_**Harry Potter, he who will save our world once more, but who would prefer to not be known as a saviour, as has become clear by a death threat after the previous article.**_

Smug, Harry read over the headline of the Quibbler article and skimmed over the rest, feeling rather happy about the fact that the line with the title Boy-Who-Lived had also been left out. He might have lashed out a bit too violently when seeing that the Quibbler, which he'd come to respect, now hauled him a saviour once more, and had taken… necessary steps to make it clear that it was not appreciated. He was no Saviour. He was an important head figure on the dark side now, but he definitely did not want to** save** anyone. He just wanted to make this world a bit more fair.

And indulge selfishly in Dark Arts when he would finally get the time for it, that too...

* * *

_Prophet December 15th  
__**  
Dark times heading our way without the saviour of the Light.**_

_The Boy-Who-Lived has still not been found, and the rumours that he has joined the Dark have spread like wildfire through Britain. Has he betrayed all of the Wizarding World and joined the murderer of his parents? Or is he too an innocent victim of the scheming of You-Know-Who once more? Evidence suggests that he has not been captured, but he may only be waiting for the right moment to appear in which he can strike his enemy, __**our**__ enemy, down._

Marvolo didn't bother reading the rest of the article, and gazed down at the sleeping boy on the bed, one of the hands clenching around the sheets, pulling it up to his face. Not that it would help much to get warm… Falling asleep naked on top of the blankets in December was not exactly a good idea. The man studied the goose-bump covered skin and silently cast a warming charm, a smile playing around the corners of his lips as Harry shivered and mumbled in his sleep, rubbing his head against the bed in an adorable way that made his hair look even messier. His gaze drifted down, and a perverted smirk spread on his face as he saw a forgotten stain of semen on the boy's arse. Bending down, he slowly licked at it, hardening when a low moan sounded from the sleeping teen.

The Dark Lord sighed and stood up straight again, looked at the ominous silhouettes on the chessboard at the other side of the room, and walked over to it, placing his finger on top of the grey queen. He hesitated for a moment and pushed it forward, out of the defenses of the towers and the horses to the front to face the threats of the pieces on the opposite side. A wave of hatred went through him as he regarded the king on the other side, a piece that was black on the back but of the purest brilliant white on front.

"You will fall." he whispered to it. "I will force you to fall."

* * *

_Quibbler__**: **__December 16th_

_**The Dark's announcement.**_

_Despite the congregation of Nargle hybrids lurking in the area, the Dark Lord Voldemort has announced that tomorrow morning he will be making another announcement of sorts at the same place where the Quidditch World Cup has been held one and a half year ago during breakfast - I warn you to wake up early and have breakfast before because he has said:_

"_I urge all wizards, witches, and other magical beings to come to the fields where the last Quidditch World Cup Finale has been held at eight in the morning. There will be a temporary ceasefire between all, and I will personally make sure that no-one will break it. it is time to reveal my greatest asset, and I wish for all of you to know that fighting me is futile. This world, our world, has gone wrong somewhere, that somewhere being the day the Statute of Secrecy was set into place. My last announcement is not remembered by all who heard it because of the Ministry's meddling. I will not allow such a thing to happen now. Should you not come, and not have a good reason for it, know that you will be announced an enemy of my reign once I establish my rule."_

"Very inviting…" Harry said, quirking an eyebrow.

"I do not promise rainbows in blue skies Harry…"

The teen grimaced. "I'd hope not. So this is it, then?"

"Of course. It is no use waiting any longer."

Sighing, Harry climbed on the man's lap and kissed him briefly on the cheek before laying his head on Marvolo's shoulder. "Will this really work? Will this convince people to come to our side?"

"Undoubtedly. I cannot tell how many, but some will come to us. And those who won't… well, at least we will have targets then."

"And here I thought the war had already begun." the teen said, and stretched his back. "The secret raids to capture traitors, secure important places…"

"Preparation is necessary for war if you want to win it. And I am rather set on winning…"

"I know... and I'll help."

"Thank you. That is all I ask." Marvolo whispered, and tugged on Harry's hair so the boy lifted his head. Leaning forwards, he placed his lips on the other's, slowly letting go of the tight control he had over his mind and body to get lost in emotion for a while. "My love…" he muttered, and then he hesitated, looking Harry in the eyes.

"What is it?" the other asked, noticing the turbulence in the mind of the man, but the thoughts were suddenly locked away. Marvolo grasped his hand and entwined their fingers, staring down at the small hand lying in his.

"Harry… when this is over… will you marry me?"

Emerald eyes widened, and Harry felt his heartbeat stopping before starting anew in a pace twice as fast. He turned his hand so he had a tight grip on the bony fingers and leaned forward again, crashing their mouths together fervently. He felt Marvolo's lips curling into a smile, and as the mental barriers were lowered again, they drowned in the feelings of happiness echoing through them.

* * *

Read and Review!

xx GeMerope


	26. Part II chapter I

While cracking his back, Robert sighed, and gave the stack of papers still waiting for him a dull look. He'd been playing with his quill for minutes, and didn't think he would regain any energy to start working again. The clock on his desk gave him a disapproving look, but kept silent, probably due to the fact that he had smashed the thing against the wall yesterday when it kept reminding him to get back to work. Merlin, why did nothing entertaining ever happen here? He got up and paced through his office a bit, glancing at the window with longing, behind which the sunlight shone. Or well, sun… considering the fact he was under ground level he doubted whether he could call it 'sunlight'. 'magical light' was more appropriate.

Not that he would like to be on ground level at the moment… The fields surrounding the stadium were crowded with the majority of the Wizarding population of Britain, waiting for the morning to arrive, together with the Dark Lord. Robert himself wasn't all that excited about it. After years of having the dullest job in one of the supposedly most entertaining places in the country his enthusiasm for... everything in general had dulled as well. The only thing he currently wanted to do after working a whole night through, filling forms, was sleep, Dark Lord or not.

Murmurs of voices reached his ears, but there was something strange about them… The usual droning voice of his boss could not be heard, but instead, a rather cold one and a child-like whiny one floated through the cracks in the door. He really should repair that door one day… Deciding he had nothing better to do, he opened it and stuck his head around the door, ready to finally get some relief today by shouting at people. His words stuck in his throat however, as a very... unusual couple came his way. And to his opinion, they were way too close to him as well.

"Shut it Harry."

"But** Marvolo**… this is no way to go at this! What about the grand entrance you promised them?"

"I thought you did not appreciate the attention of the media and the masses?"

"Well I don't, but it** is** supposed to be the moment I'll get 'revealed'.

"Brat. The 'grand entrance' as you call it, will come when people are actually **awake**. It's bad enough that **I** had to get up at this ungodly hour. Ah, finally, someone is here." It took Robert a few moments to process he was being spoken to, and he slowly closed his mouth, which had hung agape.

He turned his eyes to the young man with disbelief as he cheerily said: "Bow and pledge your loyalty!" and burst out into snickers, ignoring a rather horrifying glare on behalf of You-Know-Who.

"What is your name?"

"Ro... Robert." He managed to stutter, hoping he wouldn't pee his pants. The smell of urine that reached his nose and other unpleasantness told him he'd failed. "Robert Crow sir." he squeaked.

"Do you happen to be an administrator?"

"Yes." he whispered softly, and coughed to try and get his speech back.

"I want to know the names of everyone who will enter the stadium, and if not everyone fits, also of the people who stay on the campsites."

"I have all the names of the people present on the campsites here already sir…" he muttered, gesturing at the high stacks that threatened to fall over, relieved that he had good news to give. "Everyone who appeared at the apparition spots was asked their names, and they sent me those so I could sort out the mess."

"Keep up the work then. I will come and collect it all in a few hours."

Robert nodded quietly and gathered some papers in his arms for no real reason other than being busy with his hands to prevent wringing them nervously. Only when the others turned and strode out of his office did he allow himself to slump down on a chair and wipe his forehead with the sleeve of his robe. By Merlin... this had not been the nicest way to start the day.

While Robert made a cup of tea to calm himself –although nothing had really happened-, he was fully convinced that he had narrowly escaped death.

XxX

"Hours? A few hours?" Harry spoke, obviously not happy. "I didn't wake up at three am to wait several **hours**!"

"Tomorrow you can sleep as much as you'd like love."

"Ha! I'll keep you to that! And if you dare to wake me up sooner than the afternoon you'll have another thing coming!"

"Is that a suggestion that you want to wake up with sex?"

"What? That's... that's not what I meant!" Harry fumed while Marvolo walked by his side, seemingly undisturbed by the early hour. Harry suspected the man to have taken a potion or cast a spell on himself. Usually he wasn't up till eleven. Of course, that today was an important day might also have lightened the Dark Lord's mood, even though it was still practically night. "So… What will we do to kill time? And** don't** suggest sex **again**. I'm not going to be shagged in a cold corridor against a wall somewhere underground."

"You didn't have any problems with it last time in the dungeons…"

"No comment."

"So grumpy…" Marvolo said, amused, but then he turned his head and stared off in the distance. Images flooded Harry's mind before he could stop them. Scenes of battles, blood, masses of people cheering, exotic places and ancient temples all passed in his mind.

"I meant kill time the coming hours, not the rest of our lives." Harry smiled. "Though I quite like your vision of that as well. Minus most of the gore."

In the past months, the bond between them, and thus the link connecting their minds, had grown, strengthened. A few days ago, Harry had finally managed to look through Marvolo's eyes while he controlled it. It had been an overwhelming experience. Marvolo's body had more than merely human capacities. He could literally see magic in the air, like thin layers of see-through, coloured fabric that covered everything, mostly purple in colour.

Distance was also becoming less and less of a problem. It pleased him immensely, especially because they sometimes had to deal with being apart for longer periods of time. But while speaking to each other over a distance helped to deal with the loneliness, it was still hard to wake up alone in the night, or to stare at the other, empty side of the dinner table. The last few days though, Harry had been blessed with Marvolo's constant presence.

"To 'kill time' as you voice it… I had planned on adding my own security measures to this place before it gets flooded with possible allies and enemies."

At this, Harry's expression brightened. "Can I help?"

He'd recently gained an interest in the fields of magic that were not generally well-known. Warding, he'd found, was both challenging and highly useful, and while he wasn't very good at it yet –he lacked knowledge in both Runes and Arithmacy -, Marvolo had been able to teach him the basic concepts, and Harry often served as channeler now, to get used to the specific feeling of magic needed for every type of ward.

"Of course. There are a few which I will do alone though. I plan on tying them to me specifically, so then wards will fall when I leave. It saves me the trouble of taking them all down again afterwards."

"Which wards are you planning? I know that all possible anti-transportation wards are already in place, as well as those that repel Muggles."

"I want to place a specific area under heavy security, which will trap all magic cast, within it. If any known members of the Order show up, they will be directed to there. I promised no harm would come to anyone today –that would defeat the purpose of my talk-, but I will not take the risk of them wreaking havoc here either. Furthermore, I wish to strengthen the general Muggle-repelling wards so they also cover house-elves. I wouldn't put it past Dumbledore to try something funny like sending his Hogwarts-staff."

"Anything else?"

"You don't think it is enough?"

Harry shrugged. "It sounds like it is enough, but Dumbledore is not known for being very predictable."

"It is all I can do without influencing the general public, and I do wish to try and make them see why our views are right. I do not want to make them feel like they are entering Azkaban."

They went up a last flight of stairs and entered the dew-covered grass of the arena that was usually used as either Quidditch pitch or theatre. It wasn't as dark as Harry had thought. Even though the rows and rows of seats everywhere around him blocked the sight, there was still a glow in the sky from hundreds of campfires. Harry did not know how many people were currently camping in the fields, but he guessed there were at least two thousand. Not many dared to withstand the Dark Lord's call. All followers of the Dark were here, naturally, for support.

Loads of Light wizards had arrived as well for various reasons: the hope to find others who wanted to start a rebellion or to see who exactly they were up against… Harry also suspected that many people here had come because they had started to doubt their beliefs. The campaign of the Dark in the Wizarding communities had gone smoothly and had been accepted with more and more enthusiasm as time went by.

Harry gazed up at the hoops on either side of the field, and for a moment was lost in a fantasy about flying here, playing Quidditch… Marvolo's suggestion to pursue a career in Harry's most loved sport after the war had constantly crossed his mind the last months. And now he was here, where he'd seen the brilliant match of Ireland against Bulgaria, he could really see himself doing just that. Flying, forgetting everything but the game. Dodging Bludgers, listening with half an ear to the commentary, feeling the feeble fluttering of the snitch's wings in his hand as it closed around the smooth metal…

"I never thought much of Quidditch…" Marvolo suddenly said, and Harry blinked, wondering how long he'd been lost in dreams. "But when seeing it in your mind, I must admit that I'm starting to see the appeal."

"You don't like flying then?"

"Actually, I love flying, but not on a broom. I dislike being dependant on an object. Should it malfunction, you could easily fall. I prefer being in control completely. My Animagus form fits me well in that regard. I can fly, and it is I who is flying. I do not simply soar on an object."

"We should have a race once… my Firebolt against you, oh mighty dragon…" Harry smiled.

"I daresay I will win easily, but if you insist…"

"I wouldn't be too sure about that." Harry grinned. "I've raced it against a dragon before, during the Tournament."

"I never knew the specifics about your tournament… Barty told me bits about it, but I was pre-occupied with gaining other knowledge back then. I can only remember that you had to steal an egg from a dragon during the first task?"

"Yes. Unfortunately, I got a very bad-tempered Horntail, which broke loose halfway… Professor Moody… well, Barty, had suggested I use my Quidditch skills to steal the egg. I summoned my broom while there and tried to grab the egg, but the Horntail was pretty fast. Of course, it was in a closed arena, so I didn't exactly **race** it, but my Firebolt could keep up with its movements." he declared proudly.

"Well then... it will be interesting to see which of us will be faster then." Marvolo mused. "Now, I suppose here will do."

They had stopped in the middle of the field, and Harry would have bet his invisibility cloak on that it was the exact center, accurate to the inch. White skin glowed in the scarce light as the heavy sleeves of Marvolo's cloak slid back when he raised his wand. Harry allowed himself a glance at it before he too pulled his wand out. Even after months, he still felt a spark of something unnameable when about to use it. He didn't know whether to name it pride, or satisfaction, or just plain joy… Marvolo had waved his gratitude off with a smile. 'It's nothing really, just a bit of falsifying records. I don't want any accidents to happen, and having you out of Hogwarts isn't really practical when you're not able to use magic.' That hadn't made him refuse Harry's 'thank-you' gift that same night though.

Harry did not understand what exactly had been done, as he didn't completely understand how the Trace worked –he hadn't bothered Marvolo with it, who had seemed too busy that time to answer such trivial things, and didn't think it **that** interesting to search for the answer in the library-, but from what he'd gathered, two Death Eaters had been able to take over the positions of the ones who kept track of the records regarding people being traced, had removed Harry's name, and then added it again without the necessary rituals that would actually bind him to it. He still didn't quite get why the Ministry had blamed him for Dobby's magic, or why the Trace did not seem to work at Ron's place –after all, the Twins could have never done all their experiments without a single bit of magic-.

Admiring the feel of the wood of his wand, he raised it and reached within himself, feeling his magic before getting ready to use it, one of the many things he'd learned in the past months.

"I'll start by strengthening the existing wards against house-elves. It is similar to the ward against Boggarts, but still subtly differs from it as house-elves are magic-bearing creatures, not creatures made of magic."

This had become familiar territory for Harry. While most of his lessons were taught by Death Eaters, Marvolo still tried to teach Harry as much as he could himself. Their link helped immensely, as Harry immediately felt when he did something wrong, and acted on Marvolo's thoughts before the man had to say something to correct him. Still, the man could not spend all his time teaching Harry, and so he often had to do with Death Eaters who did not have missions at that moment.

Even though he and Lucius had not had the best start, the man had finally, warily, accepted him as part of the Dark, and Harry had made it very clear that he was more than a mere toy of Lucius' Lord and Master.

"You're getting distracted." Marvolo's stern voice ripped through his musing, and Harry immediately stood straight again.

"Sorry... Short night. I really don't think I have had enough sleep." He admitted, making an irritated gesture with his shoulder, displeased with himself.

"Hmm… Then, just connect to me. I can use your magic, and this way you can get familiar with this type of Warding."

Harry nodded, actually relieved he wouldn't have to do much more. He didn't cast magic well when he was tired. Letting his magic flow into Marvolo though, was a different story, and felt more natural than anything. He found it strange, really, as their link was mostly formed because of the Horcrux, a thing that resented them both. Harry for what he wouldn't become, and Marvolo for turning his back on what he had been.

Harry closed his eyes and briefly touched Marvolo's arm to strengthen the contact. From that moment, nothing on the world existed anymore for him, except the two of them and the magic streaming through them.

* * *

The roars of the public were deafening, and Marvolo inwardly sneered at the people on the tribunes, who seemed to be treating this as the same form of entertainment as they would normally see in this stadium. Even the Death Eaters on the raised platform in the middle could do nothing to dampen their mood. But perhaps it was a good thing, he mused. It wouldn't do to have them all cower in fear. Still, it was beyond him why they all had to be soobnoxiously** loud**.

It was very good for his ego when they instantly fell silent as he stepped onto the platform himself.

He slowly looked around, his eyes not missing any detail, seeing both what was on the surface as the disturbances in magic and emotions beneath. He gestured to Rodolphus to pay extra attention to a group of younger wizards –by the looks of it either just out of Hogwarts, or in their last years there, having managed to sneak away-, as an angry red cloud sizzled around them, invisible to all but him.

He felt Harry behind him and relaxed slightly, but when he spotted Kingsley, Tonks, and Madeye on the tribunes, anger welled up again. The **nerve** of Dumbledore, to send his people here. And that without even gracing the Wizarding world with his own presence. He felt a slight touch at the back of his mind, less than a fleeting brush of a hand, but it was enough to remind him that he wasn't alone here. He took a deep breath, and, making sure the members of the Order saw his burning gaze fall on them, addressed the crowd.

"Welcome."

The remaining whispers died at the slightly hissed tone.

"I am glad that so many answered my call, that so many wish to hear the truth." Even though half of them had probably only come because they were afraid of what would have happened should they not have come, or because they were merely curious. "I will not try to blind you with illusions, as so many of your previous, -and sadly enough, even current- leaders. My goals are simple, and I do hope that many of you will find yourself agreeing with them.

Somewhere in the past, we were wronged. Wronged by ourselves, strangely enough. Our ancestors had become afraid of the Muggles, who far outnumbered us, and they did not wish to fight them. Therefore, they hid themselves away, as if they had to be ashamed of their powers. Ashamed of magic. This was a mistake I wish to correct. We, who have been given a power beyond the wildest dreams of most creatures on this earth, have bound ourselves by numerous restraints for no good reason. Perhaps, back then, it was seen as the only option, but now, Muggles are no threat to us anymore.

Do not understand me wrong, in no way do I wish to proclaim war to them, but am convinced that it is unnecessary for us to hide away any longer. While we have long left the height of our culture behind us, the non-magical population is growing. They have given form to their ideas, not with magic, but with their minds and skill. Magic will, overall, not be seen as threatening by most of them. They are used to, and have accepted, matters far more complex. They use technology of which they do not know how it works, not where it came from, nor who created it. And though this may strike most of you as odd, it is the same with us. We have forgotten our roots. Let us go back to them."

The stadium was silent for a while, before an explosion of sound was to be heard, and Marvolo winced slightly, cursing himself for not protecting his ears with a spell.

"Silence!" Lucius roared, having magically amplified his voice with a Sonorus. "Questions will be answered one by one."

It helped slightly, but the crowd was only intimidated enough to fall silent completely when Marvolo pulled forth his wand and waved it at the tribunes. "One by one." he repeated, and he wished that he knew everyone by name so he could address them personally. Pointing was a bit vague when there were approximately three hundred people in the general direction in which one pointed.

The solution was brought to him moments later by his love, who had probably read his thoughts and decided to do something about his problem. Ah, he so loved when harry took care of his problems…

But that was a whole other matter altogether…

"He spent hours filing their names plus moving pictures, so he probably knows more of these people than you." Harry said matter-of-factly.

Crow trembled on his legs, reminding Marvolo of Pettigrew, but he decided that cowering servants were tolerable enough when they were useful.

"Do you know all of them by name?"

Crow nodded slightly and whispered: "Most of them come here often, especially the rich. There may be the occasional individual I have never seen before, but I do know most by name, yes."

"That will make things a lot easier. _**Sonorus Sphaera Nomen-ligatum**_." A glowing light blue orb appeared in front of him, floating peacefully in the air. "Please, raise hands if you have a question." he said, his voice a lot louder because of the sphere.

With the help of Robert Crow, he addressed a tiny old witch in one of the front seats. "Gallia Sputo." he said, and the orb instantly lit up and bounced over to her like an excited Niffler that had smelled gold.

"So what you are saying is that muggles are no threat at all and will embrace us?" she scoffed.

Marvolo decided instantly that he didn't like here. no tact at all.

"No, I'm not saying they will** embrace **us. I am saying that, if we work hard enough, we can get accepted back in society, as we should." he answered curtly, and called the next name before she had a chance to reply. "Christian Peakes"

"Thank you." The man nodded when the sphere was in front of him. "Why would we want to live together with Muggles? We have thrived for hundreds of years. our kind and Muggles… It seems impossible for us to mingle without there being war."

"Actually, it is not so impossible as you think, and not very uncommon either. There are many known societies where magical folk and Muggles live together. African tribes, Native American tribes, Inuit… sadly, whenever Muggles became too 'advanced', magicians hid away. Here too, before the Statute of secrecy was created, there were no separate societies. I often take the time of Merlin as example, but also long before that, there was harmony between our kinds. It is not taught in the History lessons at Hogwarts, but while the Founders were building the castle, they also helped to construct many Muggle buildings. Also, before Helga Hufflepuff became a teacher at Hogwarts, she taught both Muggles and magicians at a primary school. This concept is also something I wish to return."

Peakes nodded again, sitting back in his chair with a thoughtful expression. "And what place do you envision Magicians to be in, if I may be so bold to ask?"

Marvolo smiled. "Of course, every witch or wizard will have to decide for themselves what they want in their lives, but I do think that we are better fit to rule this country than the Muggles have. We will have to be advised by Muggles in a lot of areas, especially in the beginning, but I certainly do not plan for us to become second-rank citizens."

A witch on the far right stood up and raised her hand, and after Crow had figured out her name, she asked: "How exactly will ranks be determined? In your previous war, you were very pro-pureblood. Where will Muggleborns fit in this new society?"

"Theoretically, there should be no system of ranks. Everyone, either magical or Muggle, is an individual with strengths and weaknesses, but blood purity does not make one 'better' than others, neither intelligence-wise nor magical-wise. While in the past, I tried to deny this myself, I have been forced to accept this as a fact."

His nails dug in the palm of his own hand as many of his own followers stiffened momentarily, and he knew he would need another good round of the Cruciatus curse to get them to accept the fact that they would not be looked up to as gods.

"However, it is too early yet to see how this will work in practice. Purebloods** do** have a long history, and most are taught magic, magical history and politics at a very young age. They know the ins and outs of our current society, and are better equipped than anyone to take the reins, so to say."

More hands rose, but he noticed that Kingsley had raised his hand, and decided to give that priority. The question he was asked surprised him. He would have thought that Dumbledore would have given the man a list with anti-dark propaganda, but the question was of a whole other nature.

"How far will the fusion go? Will we not be separate with anything anymore?"

"Completely fusion will not be possible. While both magicians and Muggles are humans, we do have other needs sometimes. Education, health care, crime punishment, and even magical sports are something we will not be able to share fully with Muggles. Hogwarts is, and always will be, for our kind only, and St. Mungo's is the only hospital equipped enough to deal with magical diseases and curses. While I do plan to share our knowledge regarding health care with Muggles, we do need one hospital purely for magicians.

Our laws will be adjusted to Muggle law to some extent in cooperation with Muggle leaders, but there are a lot of topics on which they do neither have nor need laws, and if they are not willing to concede on some points **I** am not willing to negotiate about, we will still have separate laws. Did that fully answer your question?"

"Yes. However, I do have another one, completely unrelated to the rest…"

"Please, do ask."

"You said that you would 'reveal your greatest asset' today. Up till now, you have given us a lot of information to think about, but you have not showed us what a lot of people here probably came for."

A strange feeling bubbled in his chest. It was probably excitement because he could** finally** rub it in Dumbledore's old face –figuratively spoken, pitifully enough, as the man had not come himself-, but there was also a hint of fear. Fear for his Harry.

"The reason for that is because I wished to give all of you a chance to choose a side without bias. I truly do wish for everyone to follow me because they agree with my reasoning, not because they know the other side is hopelessly lost. When I have answered every question here, I will reveal it, but no sooner."

A long minute, no-one raised their hands, probably wanting to see 'his greatest asset' in favour of having their questions answered, but then, someone rose their hand again, and another, and another. He answered all of them to the best of his ability, from what rights werewolves would get to the return of old traditions and celebrations. When finally, there were no more questions left to answer, hours had passed, and he felt exhausted, despite the pepper-up potion he had taken that morning.

"I hope that I was able to answer all your questions to your satisfaction. Now then, Harry, please step forward."

Many in the crowd got to their feet when the teen, who had went back to saunter in the shadows, strode towards the middle of the platform, lowering his hood.

"Harry…?"  
"But that is…"  
"Potter, yes!"  
"He is Dark after all?"  
"**The** Harry Potter?"

Emerald, bright eyes took in the mass, and Marvolo was glad that they had waited so long till they revealed that Harry was really on their side. He'd had months to grow, both magically and mentally, and he was fully prepared now.

"I want to thank all of you for coming today." he spoke. "And now I can finally confirm the suspicions of many. I follow Lord Voldemort and all he stands for." Marvolo quickly murmured Harry's name as the crowd became louder, and the Sonorus sphere soared to the teen and hovered in front of his mouth. "I will** not** explain how this came to be, nor do I feel the need to justify myself to complete strangers. **Yes**, I defeated him when I was a baby, but that did not brand me as dark lord-slayer. I fully agree with his goals, and the future he has envisioned. That is all I have to say on this. Oh, and I will not be available for further comment, not even for the press. Especially not for the press." he added as afterthought. "Have a good day further."

With that, he turned around and strode away, followed by outraged cries and encouraging shouts.

* * *

"Today was a good day." Marvolo sighed while cracking his back. His lover didn't answer in favour of snuggling the soft pillows on the bed. "And as a bonus we can keep a low profile next days." He yawned and crept under the covers, reaching out to pull Harry to his chest. His fingers traced patterns on the pale back, and the boy pressed himself closer to the other.

"That's nice… So we'll have a couple of easy days then?"

"Well, that depends on how you define easy. No open war and raids does not mean that we will not be busy. There are still quite a few things I want to do."

"Like?"

"I've been postponing a visit to a dear old professor of mine… You might remember him from Dumbledore's memories… Then there are the Muggles. They would introduce some of their friends and family to magic and I have a meeting scheduled with the lot of them. And if you feel up to it, we might go see a certain ex-Dark Lord as well."

"Grindelwald? What for? More dirt on Dumbledore? Don't you have enough already to leave him blind and crippled in the gutter?"

"I do, but it seemed there were certain important pieces that he doesn't trust to have a backup of. I still think it is strange that he did not have a record of a memory of the battle between him and Grindelwald. I think something happened there, something important that he does not want anyone to know."

"Any ideas as to what it might be?"

"No, and that is what worries me most."

Arms came up to wrap around his neck and pull him closer. "Right now, you don't have to worry about anything love." Harry spoke in a whisper, a wicked smile on his face. He turned them around until he sat on top of Marvolo and could freely rub himself against the man. Leaning down, the teen licked his lover's lips, but wasn't prepared for the sudden change when he was roughly pressed against the other and his mouth got assaulted. He growled, but finally resented as glee spread through their link.

"Evil."

"Very" Marvolo agreed, and switched their positions again. Harry though, rolled himself on his stomach and pushed his arse up, swaying it back and forth without touching the other to drive him mad. It seemed that the Dark Lord was in no mood for games at the moment though, as he trapped the teen between the bed and himself, touching every inch of bare skin he could.

Harry moaned, already giving up his pretense of sulking in favour of feeling as much as possible. The strong body on top of him and the muscles that rolled and shifted beneath that skin as Marvolo moved with him took his breath away, and despite the cold, he could already feel the sheets beneath him becoming damp with his sweat.

His eyes widened as he felt a slap on one of his cheeks, and he didn't know whether to feel aroused or embarrassed. "Marvolo..." He scolded. "That's... I don't know…"

~There is no need to feel ashamed of yourself while in my presence love.~ he heard, and he bit his lip, ashamed of how much he had liked the sting of pain. but Marvolo was probably right… there was absolutely no reason to do anything but what he wanted. ~I also share your dreams sometimes my dear…~ Marvolo hissed in obvious amusement, and Harry felt his face becoming a flaming shade of red.

"Oh, great." he sighed.

"Harry, just enjoy your fantasies…" the other whispered, making Harry shudder as cold breath caressed the shell of his ear, followed by the tip of a wet tongue and nails that harshly dragged over his ass. Whimpering, he finally gave into his own desires. A few flames flickered to life in the room to lit up the quickly darkening room as the last rays of the setting sun finally disappeared beneath the horizon that was visible through their bedroom window. His own fire lit with them as he tried to get lost in the touches and kisses.

More stinging slaps followed, making him bite in the sheets to cover up his moans, but the rain of kisses and the wonderful feelings of a cold tongue that traced the burning places were too much, and when he finally came undone, it was as a sobbing, begging mess. He was pulled to Marvolo's chest, exhausted and satisfied, too tired to even feel a bit guilty because his lover had had no release yet.

He lifted his head to kiss the other, slowly this time, and he reveled in the feel of the sleek tongue that had been morphed halfway so it was black and forked now. "I love it like this…" he said when they broke apart, and he reached out to touch it with his index finger, caressing the smooth muscle.

"It might become a bit more permanent." Marvolo answered, and Harry stopped, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm still unsure about it but… I've been thinking of finally finishing the splitting of my soul. I have five Horcruxes since the diary was destroyed, that means I have six pieces of soul, not seven, the number I chose because of all the magical properties it would have and the abilities it would grant me. I want to make that seven again. My main soul is stable enough for it again. Still…" He hesitated. "I do not want to risk falling back into madness."

"I thought that this body was adapted to it?"

"It is. It is not a human body, and was formed around only a sliver of soul, making it less vulnerable to damage very dark magic could do to it, but making a Horcrux is a very unnatural thing. I am afraid that splitting my own soul will start the process of mutilation."

"But you really want it?"

The Dark Lord sighed. "Yes, I do. I feel as I'm on the brink of something, waiting, but unable to take the final step. I wish I knew more certainly what the effects will be. "

"Isn't there anymore information to be found?"

"No, I've read all books on the subject. The situation I currently find myself to be in is unique. The only way I will be able to know for certain is to actually do it."

"Can I give you advise on it, or is it something you want to figure out on your own?"

Marvolo hesitated for a moment and tightened his grip on the boy. "I prefer working this out on my own. I'm sorry, but-"

Harry broke him off with a soft kiss. "I understand. It's why I asked. It is your life, your body and mind… I will accept you no matter what happens."

"Harry, I want you to promise me something."

The pained tone made Harry's brow crease with worry. It seemed as if the room temperature dropped momentarily, but he knew it was all in his head. –Which was actually even more worrisome.-

"Anything."

"If I ever… go **bad** again. If I turn back into what I have been before, become unreasonable, cruel, and unable to understand any good emotion…"

"You won't!"

"**IF** that were to happen… I ask you to use anything you can to get me locked up safely until you find a way to get me to my senses again. Kill me and have me reborn again if you must, but I don't ever want to be that horrible monster again." Marvolo took Harry's left hand and not-so-subtly pressed his finger against the silver, scaled ring on it. "I don't want to hurt you again. So please. Promise me."

Unable to say anything, Harry nodded. "I promise." he whispered.

* * *

"So it** is** you."

The bitterness in the voice was evident, but when Atiyeh turned around and faced the other, he saw no contempt in the grey eyes who looked at him.

"How did you find out?"

"In case you have forgotten,** I** was trained. I have my ways." Eyolf said, and after a long silence, he continued. "I envy you."

"Don't you all." Atiyeh whispered, and slumped down in his sofa. "Why did you come here? Just for this? It is so long ago."

"But it still decides your actions, doesn't it? Every step you take… You can't even leave the country."

"But still you envy me…"

"Of course… many have dreamed of what you did. You, the legend amongst us which kept our spirits up. You, the one who managed to do what no-one could do before. We all hoped that you would return and save us as well from the fates we never wanted. Even now, you are famous."

"Again, why are you here?" the man sighed. "I obviously did not save you. What is it you want? Revenge because I was luckier than most?"

"No… I respect what you did. But I am curious as to why you bound yourself to the Dark Lord. I always thought you would hide on your own and never show yourself to the world anymore. That you would want to have freedom after getting it nearly taken away from you."

Surprised, Atiyeh looked at the man who was leaning against the wall, for once with his hood down, but his guard never lowered. "You want my story." he stated.

"Obviously. So many tales have been told…"

"And you think I would trust you?** You**, one of** them**?"

"I hate them!" Eyolf hissed, fury written all over his face. "**They** hate** them**. There** is** not even a them. Every single individual in the Guild wants to be free. But the students and young assassins are afraid of their elders, and the elders know how necessary the Guild is!"

"An elder... like you?"

"Yes. I know you will probably not understand… but you don't need to fear. You are far too old to get dropped back in the training course. The only ones who still want to get you back are the trainers from back then, to cover up the fact that someone ever escaped… to gain back the face they lost. I am not one of those people."

"Perfectly harmless." Atiyeh snorted. "But alright, I will tell you. There isn't even much to tell. I grew up in a quiet town, in which the annual sports week was the only highlight. I excelled in most of the sections, and sadly, a member of the Guild came to see the games every year. She came to my house one night, when I was nine. Of course, I was unprepared and she abducted me with ease. When I came to I was in one of the cots. The usual process began… I was trained, punished, and pushed to my limits like all new recruits were…" he trailed off and shivered slightly when being lost in his memories. Eyolf's lips twitched, but he could withhold a grimace. It was clear that the man had never finished his training.

"After some time... I have no idea how long, I was send on a mission. Both my first and my last. We were supposed to spy on someone, but I was spotted and ran for it. I should, of course, have been killed that instant, but because I had been seen, the soldiers we had tracked also discovered the others and got in a fight with them. And right then, I had a burst of accidental magic and** apparated** about a mile away from the village."

"But the tracker… I don't understand…"

Sameer smiled. "Yes... the tracker… tattooed on my neck, so it could not be cut out without killing myself. I knew they would find me soon and eliminate me, but because of the confusion in the fight, the Guild had not been made aware of my disappearance. I went to the neighbouring village, stole the only horse I could find and went off in a random direction as fast as I could. Of course, I had no wand, no food, no other supplies… but I did have my weapons and minimal training. I avoided cities and other places with people like the plague and used all my survival tactics. Still, I soon was on the brink of death. But then** he** found me."

"He? You don't mean…"

"The Dark Lord, yes. I had never heard of him... it was not that he was unknown, but word of him hadn't quite reached other continents than Europe yet, certainly not my small village. What happened was strange, and I sometimes thought that I must have had a spirit with me who protected me, because the amount of lucky coincidences that followed each other were unbelievable. I hadn't even noticed that there was a group of people on the road next to me, as I had seen a fata morgana of water and was busy crawling towards it with spinning head. Just when He walked by and probably threw me a look of contempt, thinking I was a filthy Muggle, I discovered it was mere mud, and in my rage, transformed the mud into clear water by accident. Before I knew what was happening, I had been hauled to my feet by one of His helpers, and then pushed to my knees again and had to kiss his robes. Not exactly a very nice experience, but it was one that saved my life."

"So what happened next?"

"He realized I wasn't really in any state to speak, he noticed the mark of the Guild and asked around a bit while I healed. He had just finished whatever it was he'd come to do there so he took me back to England and protected me in exchange for my undying loyalty and all the information I could give him."

"Can't have been much." Eyolf scoffed.

"Mister Greyhunter." Sameer said, a strange vague smile on his lips, and Eyolf twitched when hearing his real name. "Do you see a tattoo on my skin?"

Eyolf's eyes seemed to pierce the blank spot on the other's throat. "It is no disillusion charm then?"

"No. It is gone, together with every other charm and curse they put on me."

For a moment, the room was dead silent, until the assassin's voice, strange, whispery and filled with tense anticipation broke it. "You are free. Really free."

"I have been for years."

Much quicker than he had entered, Eyolf was gone, as if he had merged with the large dark bricks in the wall.

Calmly, Sameer directed his attention to the book in his hands again, feeling a brief flicker of pity for the other, who would have done anything to be as fortunate as himself, but who had been like an elephant, unable to see that the chains that held him when he was young could have been easily broken if he would have only tried again years after. Now, it was far too late.

* * *

_**Sonorus Sphaera** **Nomen-ligatum:**_ name-bound Sonorus spehere

Read and Review!  
xx GeMerope


	27. Part II Chapter II

Dusty curtains moved in the light breeze as the creaky door closed. A soft cough, the scraping of a chair and the tapping of a wooden leg were all that could be heard in the gloomy room, the atmosphere tense and depressed. Someone let his breath escape through their teeth with a hissing sound. Tonks shivered and nervously tapped her wand against her leg, looking at her former mentor with worry. For once, the magical eye wasn't spinning, but fixed on the table like his other, unnoted next to the great blue one.

It felt like they were doing something wrong. No-one wanted to speak up first, and Tonks felt that she herself was torn. What was she doing here anyways? Why did a traitorous part of her mind still hope there was some truth in You-Know-Who's words? She knew how they were. Her mother had told her horrifying stories that should have permanently made her stay away far from the Dark Side, unless it was to capture them.

She shouldn't be here… She, with her traitorous thoughts while the rest was only trying to find ways to keep the Order together, to fight the Dark.

She glanced at Moody again, knowing that what he had heard had not influenced his thoughts on the Dark. Unlike her, he'd fought in the first war, and while he had curtly barked that You-know-Who was different than before, he did not seem inclined to do anything but fight against the Dark again.

Kingsley on the other hand…

She shivered. No, this could not happen. She should not have these thoughts. The last thing they needed was a dichotomy in the Order.

* * *

This might very well be the first time that the silence in the room was neither out of fear nor respect. Marvolo gazed, mildly interested, at the people around the table. Rosier and Rodolphus sat about half-way at the long table, waiting patiently. The Muggles he had seen before were scattered as well, though the girl, Sarah, who apparently knew no-one else here, had taken place at his right, something he wasn't sure he was comfortable with. Over the months, he had gotten to know the four of them, -Sarah, Olliver, Philip and Evelyn-, well. That did not mean however, that he particularly liked being around these people, who constantly reminded himself of all the **other** Muggles he'd encountered in his life.

Making sure he did not show any emotion outwardly, he tapped on the table to get the attention of the others, who were still busy gazing at the floating chandelier and moving paintings and tapestries. He tried to reassure himself by tapping into the mind link between himself and Harry, who sat on his left as always, but was thrown off balance when being met with a cold, detached sadness. He cursed himself. He'd been so caught up by his own conflicting feels that he had completely forgotten that Harry must have it even worse, having been abused by Muggles for eleven years of his life.

Not able to cradle his lover to his chest as he so desperately wanted, he silently vowed to do so as soon as everyone had left, and instead stood up to make sure that everyone could see him clearly.

"I understand many of you may be confused and intimidated by the knowledge that there is more to life than just you. Hopefully, the next generations will not grow up being ignorant of the fact that there **is** more… That there is **magic**. You undoubtedly have many questions-" he said as someone raised his hand "but please let me first finish my explanation. I might answer you before you have to ask me."

The man slowly lowered his arm and nodded tensely, looking as if he did not feel like he was in the right place at the right time currently.

"Very well. I shall have to start with a lesson in history. Our shared history, actually, even though large parts of it were erased from your history books. At the very beginning, when our ancestors evolved enough to be called human, there was a division. It is not sure when or how it happened, but a small percentage of human kind was born with powers. With these powers, some people could manipulate the earth around themselves, bending the laws of nature with their mere will.

I have to add that we are a unique species. All other species, as a rule, are either magical or non-magical. However, we were... special. It might have even been a fault in evolution, no-one knows. The point is that it did happen, and for the longest period of time, magicians and non-magical people, whom we call Muggles, lived together. You might have heard of Shamans. Their magic was not mere trickery or drug-induced hallucinations as you've been led to believe. It was real.

Over time, Muggles and Magicians have cooperated. Ancient civilizations were built upon this relationship. When human technology progressed though, Wizarding kind detached itself slightly from Muggles. They made their own rules, their own branch in the authority, their own sacred places etcetera. Did this in no means end their position on the surface though.

It was only in the Dark Ages that things became worse. Gradually, Christianity had spread through Europe, and declared everyone who 'imitated' everything their saviour had been able to do, a worshipper of the devil, as they had to get their powers from somewhere, and God had already played his ace. That is when we made a mistake. Without so much as a protest, we hid. On one hand, our ancestors did not want to be oppressed by Muggles, and on the other they did not want to fight them either, as that would lead to an unequal war and a load of slaughter.

Thus, they erased their traces in Muggle history and hid behind social, geographical and magical boundaries, completely separated from the society that had once worshipped them. Magicians from all over the world followed their example, to avoid the clash with Muggles that might come. But we have become too secluded, and I wish to put things right. We, and Muggles as well, will benefit greatly when magicians won't have to hide anymore. And that is where you come into view. My friends have approached four of you months ago, and when that went well, I decided it was time for the next step. Together, I hope we can slowly spread the underlying awareness of wizards amongst Muggle society, so the shock will not be as great when we come out into the open completely."

It was silent for a while before someone spoke up. "Why us?"

"Coincidence, mostly. You happened to be friends with one of the first four. I assume they thought you to be open-minded enough to not deny our existence or shake it all off as one big joke."

"Well, I can see how we will benefit from it as well when magicians can openly practise and share magic, but how can we be sure that you don't take the throne and treat us all like third-rank citizens and oppress us?"

"He wouldn't do that!" Sarah burst out unexpectedly, and both Harry and Marvolo stared at her. "I... I mean… well he wouldn't… would you?" The girl nervously fiddled with her hair as she sat down again, obviously embarrassed.

"I don't see the value in treating the majority of the population like unworthy beings. Society would fall apart. About taking the throne, however, there is no question."

"What? Your plan is to overthrow the current government? Why would we help you with that!" Someone else shouted. A burning glare shut her up, but she looked back with an equally scary glare.

"You will not 'help' me overthrow the government. Whether you will help me or not, it will happen. As I said, there is no question about it. I daresay that wizards understand the nature of politics far better than Muggles. **You** will help your fellow Muggles, friends, family, to prepare for **when** that happens. I am long past the time of war and bloodshed, and wish to do it as…**peacefully** as I can."

After first winning a bloody war against the Order and possibly the Ministry of Magic, but they didn't need to know that.

Some frowned, but they kept silent until he asked for questions again. When they responded in negative, he dismissed them all except the first four, who came to sit a bit closer. The two death eaters escorted the rest out.

"That went better than expected." Harry said, and Marvolo nodded, feeling odd spikes of annoyance through the mind-link, but not knowing why. He decided it was best to speak about it afterwards rather than start a silent conversation while the others were here. Still, his lover seemed sincere about being happy that the meeting had gone well, so he couldn't imagine what could possibly be annoying Harry.

"It's all so exciting!" Sarah said. To live in a world where magic is normal…"

Marvolo narrowed his eyes at her, and she gave him a confused look before becoming red. "I… I didn't mean it like that…" she stammered. Still, her careless comment made him think of the attitude of most Muggles towards anything that did not fit in their little world. Freakish... abnormal… dangerous. He sighed inwardly, knowing they still had a long way to go to get magic to be accepted openly. A hand clinging on to his arm suddenly awoke him from his musings with a start. "I really didn't mean it…" the girl said, her voice ridden with guilt. He had frozen, not knowing how to react to the touch. For all his words about equality, he could still feel nothing but disgust and, though he would never admit it aloud, fear, at being touched by a Muggle. "Say something!" she demanded, and tightened her grip. Just as he wanted to shake her hand off, it was roughly pulled away by someone else.

Sarah yelped as Harry shoved her backwards with an icy, furious expression on his face. "Get your filthy presence away from him." he snarled.

"Come, come, she did nothing wrong-" Philip protested, but he closed his mouth abruptly as killing curse green eyes focused on him.

~She touched what is mine~ Harry hissed, making all others take a step away from him. Marvolo recognised his darkening aura, which looked as if black mist started to emit from Harry's body, dark clouds rolling off him, a foreboding of dark magic about to happen. The Dark Lord acted quickly, stepping towards the teen and pulling Harry against him, trying to get him to calm down by wrapping his own magic around the other.

~Calm down dear.~ he said softly, ignoring everyone but Harry. The link, which they had closed for their both convenience so they could concentrate on the meeting rather than each other, opened again fully, and Marvolo took in the anger and the hurt he felt from Harry.

"No." the teen said, still looking at Sarah with murderous intent. The girl was pale as a sheet, but also looked quite angry.

"What the hell did I do? Okay, I shouldn't have said that, but it wasn't on purpose!"

"It's not about what you **said**." Harry retorted. "Now, get out."

"You can't just… Who are you anyways? I've never seen you before!"

"Do as he says." Marvolo cut in, deciding he'd had enough. Sarah opened her mouth, but got a warning look from Evelyn.

When they were finally gone, the man turned to Harry again, who had a strange look in his eyes.

_You worry too much love. It is just a Muggle._ The teen's shoulders slumped a bit as he relaxed. Gratitude and a jumble of other emotions he could not name separately flowed through the link.

_I know. But someone touching you when it clearly makes you uncomfortable…_

_Somehow, I don't thinkit making __**me **__uncomfortable was the only reason._ He lightly replied with a hint of amusement, and Harry turned his head away in a futile attempt to hide his embarrassment.

_Your thoughts are still open to me…_

_Oh, shut up._ Harry said, and reached the other with two long strides, not stopping as he practically crashed into the other's chest. Marvolo bent over slightly to place his lips on the forehead, and suddenly licked Harry's scar with a smirk. The teen let out a strangled noise that sounded as if it couldn't decide whether to be a yelp or a moan.

XxX

It wasn't **fair**. She had just wanted to apologise for a carelessly spoken remark, and **this** was what she got? Frustrated, Sarah kicked one of the chairs in her room and sat down on it, sulking. Who did that boy even think he was? When returning with the Portkey to their usual spot, Evelyn had taken her apart and told her 'not to go too far in her interest'. Seriously, what business did that woman have in her life? That they occasionally hung out at the local bar didn't mean that Evelyn could suddenly give her 'parently advice'. Still frustrated, she threw herself down on her bed, not even bothering to kick her shoes off.

Wizard or no, that boy had better not get in her way.

* * *

They had nearly found him… nearly… He was still panting as he unshrank the piano and sat down on a soft sofa, taking in the new house he'd so hastily had to move to. He was glad that he always prepared his next address for occasions like these, even though this was the first time he'd had to use it. He could have known… not answering the call in the Quibbler was the same as shouting to the Death Eaters that he wanted to commit suicide.

But he couldn't face the Dark Lord, not even from the middle of a crowd. Could not look at what Tom had become. What he had become because of him. Slughorn combed his hair back with his fingers and summoned a glass of wine to relax a bit. He didn't understand how they had found him, and it made his mind go rampage. What if the only reason he'd been safe till now was because the Dark Lord had had other things on his mind than him? What if his wards were not safe at all?

Shivering slightly, he quickly gulped down some more wine before putting the glass away. He was prepared for when someone of Dumbledore's side would come look for him. He could fake an attack and transfigure himself, but he could hardly do that when **they** came.

He had two weeks before he had to move out of this place again. Hopefully they would not find him until th-

His head shot up, eyes wide and fingers trembling in fear. Robotically, he turned his gaze to the left, where his old Sneakoscope had begun to spin and whistle. But that was impossible… the alarms had not gone off, and on top of that, he was only living here for **minutes**. They could not have possibly found him yet! He shut the Sneakoscope up, but kept his gaze trained on the door, not noticing that he was digging the nails of one hand in his own flesh.

He nearly sobbed with relief as he heard the loud meowing of a cat, and saw the silhouette of one jump on the windowsill. He put his head in his arms, his shoulders shaking. A cat. Just a damned cat. Wiping the sweat off his brow with his sleeve, he got up and turned around so go to the bedroom.

However, before even taking one step, his mouth fell open with trembling lips, no sound coming forth, as he saw the core of his fears sitting in one of the other chairs, looking both amused and annoyed at the same time. He didn't even know how one would make such an expression…

"Professor." the Dark Lord said on a mocking tone. "How... pleasant to see you again. I rather missed your presence yesterday. One would have thought that a man such as you would have wanted to be at such an important day to establish the necessary… contacts."

Slughorn opened his mouth again, but had no idea what to say, or even how to address his former student. Thankfully, he did not need to answer as another person entered the room. He wasn't quite thankful for the two enormous snakes that followed in the other's trail though.

"Everything is clear." the other murmured, and Horace was surprised to hear the voice of a child.

"Good. I had not expected the old man to suddenly show up here, but one can never be too sure."

In a very un-Dark Lordish gesture, the man patted his leg, and for a moment Slughorn was confused by it, until the boy came closer and with horror, he saw that the child sat down on the man's leg and leaned back into the chest behind him.

"I assume introductions are in order." Tom said. –Tom? Was it really still Tom? Was that brilliant boy still hidden somewhere in that horrifying form?-

The other lowered the hood of his cloak, revealing a face that was too familiar for Horace to look at for longer than a second. James' hair, Lily's eyes… and that **scar**. "Harry Potter" he whispered, and he jumped on the sound of his own voice. "Why are you… what are you…" He stammered. "You should be at Hogwarts!" Two pair of eyes gave him a disbelieving look, and he felt a bit stupid when realising what exactly the 'asset' was that had probably been revealed. He just hadn't been able to believe what the news had said about the possibility of the boy being Dark… He leaned back against the side of the sofa he'd just gotten up from. "That aside." he said firmly, trying to get some ground back in this conversation. "Don't think I don't know why you're here."

"Well, If you already know it will only make things easier. When giving your memory of the evening you told me what I wished to know about Horcruxes to Dumbledore, you modified it. Why? Let's just assume it was not because you like me so much." the Dark Lord said with heavy sarcasm.

"You know I gave it to…" Slughorn said, shocked. He had assumed that the man was here because he had finally remembered that Horace posed a threat to him in case he would give it to someone else, not that he already **had**. This made his current situation a thousand times worse.

"Ah, so you **don't** know why I am here. I recently found out that you gave a very poorly modified memory of that evening to one of my greatest enemies. Should he ever get his hands on the real one, he might finally piece everything together." he sounded less pleased with each word he said. "You have trespassed very dangerous waters indeed, **professor**.

"What… What will you do to me?" Slughorn said, now genuinely terrified for his life.

"I want to propose a deal… I have seen how he played on your guilt to obtain that memory, and you modified it enough so that he didn't get the most valuable information. Oh, and as I said before, I still want to know **why** you didn't just hand it all over."

"A deal?" Horace whispered.

"Yes. Count yourself lucky that I am in need of another competent Potions master. You will break all ties with anyone who is not on my side, will publically support me, not show the real memory to anyone and you will teach Harry advanced potions. In exchange, your life will be spared."

Slughorn took a few minutes of pretending to think about it as if he had any option but to grab this offer tightly with both of his hands. He **did** think about the possibilities it would give him. If he didn't have a choice, he might as well try to gain some profit from it. To be Harry Potter's personal teacher might just be the golden opportunity he needed to get new contacts and some respect. And with a mother like Lily Potter, the boy had to have a talent for potions."Done." he finally said with a nod, tensing up a bit when getting a tight, not-quite-smile back.

"Harry, will you serve as our Bonder?" The Dark Lord said, and Horace paled further when realising what was expected of him. Shakily, he reached out a hand, repulsed by the idea of touching the white hand that could have belonged to a corpse if not for the fact that it moved. No, he really could not see any of his former student in this… thing. He swallowed heavily as his hand was grabbed. It felt as if he had shoved his hand in a cold, metal clamp. The vise-like grip did nothing to calm him down, and when the speaking of the Vow actually began, panic was the only thing on his mind.

Three golden, burning ropes later, he was officially bound to the Dark Lord. It was only when he moved away again and sat down on another chair that the reality of the situation really crashed down on him. He was bound to the Dark. While he had never openly opposed him by voicing his opinion during the first war or joining the order, he had never supported him either, and he did not have many friends on the Dark Side. He had been a loner since he had left both Hogwarts and the Ministry, and his old contacts had watered down. He, who had once been a master in making connections and profiting from it, was now nothing more than a tool.

_A very ill-informed tool as well_, he thought to himself. Really, **why** had Harry Potter joined his parents' murderer? Why had Dumbledore not been able to do something about it? Apart from the Quibblers and newspapers brought to him by owl by a friend of his, he had not personally spoken to anyone but Dumbledore, who had visited him a few days after the Dark Lord had regained his body, to obtain that accursed memory. If only it could have been erased from his own mind in the process… Ever since then, he had been on the run.

He noticed that the Dark Lord and Potter seemed to be having a staring contest, although they frequently blinked. With interest, he saw emotions flicker across both their faces –and since when did **The** Dark Lord have emotions anyways?- before they both turned to stare at **him**.

"So, why **did** you modify the memory you showed Dumbledore?" the man finally spoke. "And don't make me repeat it again, unless you don't want me to keep my end of the deal."

Only now did Horace realise that had not been included in the Vow…

He breathed in deeply, deciding it would be best to just speak the truth, even though it wasn't going to get him any further in the Dark Lord's good graces. "I was ashamed. Ashamed that I was partially responsible for everything you have done, all the murders you've committed. I told you exactly what you wanted to hear, didn't I? And even after that, I never spoke about it with a soul to not lose any influence and respect I had. I should never have told a student, no matter how bright and promising he looked, about such a dangerous thing. Even now, now I lost everything, I can't…" He tried his hardest not to burst out in tears, to run to Dumbledore and repent for it all by showing the memory and then die as a result. "And now, when you will turn the world into a bloodbath once more, I am too much of a coward to do anything about it, only able to stand back, knowing I am to blame for it all as well."

"Not exactly what I had wanted to hear, but at least you were honest in your... passionate speech." the other commented on a surly tone. "I wonder when you lost your sense of judgment of people. The world will not become a bloodbath again. While I have no qualms about… executing my enemies, I actually do wish for peace to reign after this war is over. If you had actually answered yesterday's call, you would know. I suggest you try and get the copy of a memory from one of your many old friends now you can live out in the open again. None of my followers will pursue you. I actually saw Wendy Slinkhard and Ambrosius Flume among the public. Now, it is getting late and we need to go. Try to heighten your standards a bit so next time I will not need to meet you in a **Muggle** house. Oh, and I expect you every Wednesday and Friday at seven in my manor for Harry's lessons."

"How... How will I reach you?"

"Oh yes, I had nearly forgotten about that…" the Dark Lord said with a sly grin that did not look very promising.

He had no time to make out what happened next. The only thing he currently knew was pain, a flaring pain that spread through his body, his forearm being the source. When he finally came to, the pair was gone, and he was left on the ground, staring at the Dark Mark that had been branded in his skin.

* * *

"How will we get there in the first place if you don't know where exactly it is?" Harry asked, yawning.

It was late already. After their visit to Slughorn, Marvolo had insisted on eating out. In just a few hours, Harry had developed a preference for French food. They had made it home around eleven, missing the usual apparition spot due to a fair few glasses of expensive wine and had landed in the bushes in the front garden. Harry wondered how many Death Eaters they had scarred as Marvolo had cheerily and loudly carried Harry upstairs, despite the teen's slurred protests. He still felt light-headed, even after the sobering charm Marvolo had cast on the both of them in a stroke of brilliance.

"I know the general location." Marvolo answered, frowning as he studied some maps. "And don't forget that I am more sensitive to magic than most. The wards around that place will scream at me, not even completely figuratively. We can apparate to the border of Slovenia, and start our search there. Hopefully I will be able to pick up a sign soon."

"And if you don't?"

"I will. We will cross the country while I'm in my Animagus form, both to heighten my senses even more and to search faster. I am positive that we will be able to find it before the day is over. Getting back will be less of a problem, as we can apparate out of there once the wards are down."

The wards that are supposedly the most powerful wards erected in the last century…?" Harry asked with hesitance.

"Don't worry dear. My research of this was nearly complete when I died almost fourteen years ago. It was carefully hidden and guarded with the rest, and now, I have completely finished my evaluation of the security around the prison." He sighed and stretched himself like a cat before rubbing his face with both hands. "Now, let's go to sleep. We will worry tomorrow."

Harry nodded in agreement and undid his robes, smirking at the appreciative look.

* * *

The view was stunning, but the barren mountain peaks and bare, jagged rock gave him a feel of unease. It was clear that no man had been here in ages, and the thick pine forests below them looked dark and hostile, even more so than the Forbidden Forest. They had flown for hours, and Harry was tired from trying not to fall off. He and Marvolo tried to keep each other awake by talking, but he could feel that the wing beats cost his lover more energy than he currently had, and Harry was glad that they were near the end of their long, arduous journey. He shivered despite the warming charms on him as wisps of fog drifted by. Everything was hazy and the bleak sun did nothing to warm the place.

Finally, Marvolo pulled in one of his wings a bit to make a sharp turn. Harry gripped the spikes in front of him tightly as the heavy body tilted to the side and sped up in a downward glide for a moment before pulling up with uneven jerks that brought Harry's stomach to his throat. He closed his eyes tightly, trying not to spew his breakfast out over the black, shimmering scales –something that would undoubtedly not be appreciated- and only dared to open them again when the wing-strokes had returned to their normal rhythm.

What he saw made his breath catch. It wasn't beautiful, not in any way. The dark ominous tower was nothing more than a square stone building, but it was**colossal** and violent magic sizzled around it, able to be felt even from this distance. Nurmengard. Harry knew it wasn't guarded by anything but this magic, but it seemed more than enough. Marvolo's calming words about the matter of breaking the security did not sound so calming now that he could actually**feel** it.

_Are you sure…_

_Very sure. Don't tell me you are starting to doubt my skills now, after we've crossed half the continent._ Marvolo said, but Harry could hear it was said in a mock-hurt tone, and smiled.

_Of course not love_. He answered, dropping a kiss on one of the moist scales.

_Then, brace yourself._

An unearthly shriek nearly shattered his eardrums, and was amplified by the mountains around them, echoing off the stone walls until it seemed to fill every empty space. Harry's skin was covered in goose bumps as he felt the sound combine with the magic, tilting and shifting an invisible **something**. He looked back and saw that the lake they had passed had overflowed its banks and turned into a mass of stormy water.

Suddenly, the air... cracked. He didn't know how else to describe it. It was as if there had been an invisible, gigantic plate of glass in front of them that cracked and then smashed. The silence that followed was deafening, and he could feel that Marvolo's energy had been depleted. He suddenly realized that with nothing but his voice, the man had been able to break the wards of one of the most heavily guarded places in Europe. Harry's awe for him rose to a whole new level, and he wondered how anyone could be so powerful.

_It was mainly constructed to keep Grindelwald __**in**__, not to keep intruders out._ _Luckily, these wards aren't the only thing that keep him from casting magic, otherwise we'd have a whole new problem._ Marvolo answered his unspoken questions, dismissing the praise. It worried Harry how exhausted he sounded.

Half-flying, half-falling, they reached the tower and nearly crashed-landed through the open window. The occupant of the tower opened his eyes and sat up, shocked, looking at them with wild eyes. Slowly, Marvolo morphed back into his human form, clearly trying his best not to groan painfully.

"Wer bist du?" the man rasped.

"Ich bin Lord Voldemort." Marvolo replied, and it surprised Harry that he even pronounced his own name with a German accent as well as he could.

"Lord Voldemort…" the shaggy man murmured. "Ich habe von Ihnen gehört. Und du?" he asked, and it took Harry a moment to realize Grindelwald had spoken to him.

"Uhm, sorry?" he said, wishing he could understand more languages than English.

The man frowned for a moment as if trying to remember something before speaking up again. "Who are you?"

"Ah, Harry, Sir. Harry Potter, I mean."

He made a gurgling sound and spit on the floor. "I Don't know you. Warum sind Sie hier?" He asked, turning to Marvolo again, completely ignoring Harry further, which slightly pissed the teen off.

"Albus Dumbledore." Marvolo said, and he suddenly had the other man's full attention. "I take it you can speak English well?"

"Verdammte Engländer." Grindelwald spat. "Ja, I can speak your foul language quite well. What do you want?"

"First of all I would like to know how you know me… I graduated the year you were locked up here."

"Your name is one not many have. I remember that the children of some followers of mine flocked around you. I researched you, thinking you would be a powerful follower to have in my army." he gurgled again, laughing like crazy. "If only I'd known! So, what exactly has become of you, Riddle? I do recall a picture of you where you had both hair and a nose. Dabbled too much in the deepest of Dark Arts?"

"I see you researched me thoroughly indeed." Marvolo stiffly said. "But not enough. My current form is actually mainly my own choice."

"I think you need some fashion advice." the other said, giving Marvolo a grin that showed his rotten teeth.

Harry could feel that his lover was starting to lose his patience. "To make a very long story short, I am the current Dark Lord, and am more powerful than you ever were. I fought a war, died, came back, and am now resuming said war, though with my original plans. I need to know what exactly happened when you were defeated, and why Dumbledore would not trust his memories of it to exist outside his own head.

"So, the sentimental fool has gained some importance?" Gellert asked, and Harry was surprised by the scoffing tone.

"Weren't you lovers?" he asked, and he could feel Marvolo's exasperation at his bold question. The answer, however, surprised him.

"Lovers? He certainly thought we were." Grindelwald huffed, making a face. "I never harboured any romantic feelings for Albus though. It was one-sided, although I definitely used him. I confronted him about it during the last battle I had with him. That was a mistake. He grew angrier than I ever thought him capable of, and he took away everything from me. Not that it matters now... I'm nearly ready for the grave." he said on a bitter tone.

"So, did something else happen?"

"Oh yes… But that is something I will take with me in death."

Marvolo's face was blank. "You will tell me. If not to get back on Dumbledore, at least do it to help me give the world back to Wizards. While I go at it a completely other way than you, our goals have similarities."

"I do not care anymore for the world... it can follow me to hell for all I care, but if I can drag Albus down in the flames as well… Have you ever heard of the Hallows?" Grindelwald spoke, and he gave them an almost shocked look when they both confirmed it. "You do?" he suspiciously asked. "The legendary objects? the stone, the-"

"Wand and cloak, yes." Marvolo interrupted, impatiently. "What does this have to do with them?"

"They exist." the other wizard whispered, as if he was a storyteller that had just come to the clue of his story."

"Yes, we **know**." Harry said, annoyed. "What does your last battle with Dumbledore have to **do** with them?"

It was silent for a moment while a seemingly very disappointed Grindelwald tried to comprehend that he wasn't telling them anything new. "Alright then, if you want to know so badly…" he suddenly snapped. "Albus and I had searched or fthese items for a long time, and I finally acquired one, some years after having broken my 'romance' with Albus. Via via, I heard that Gregorovitch boasted about an unbeatable wand, and I found that he indeed had the Elder wand in his possession. I stole it from him, and when Albus figured that out, he was **mad**. He used his 'defeat of me' as a decoy to gain possession of the wand, tricked me and locked me up here. I suppose that the reason that he doesn't allow that memory to exist anywhere but in his own head is the combination of that he didn't defeat me in a proper duel and that he got an object many would try to kill him for. Satisfied?"

"Very." Marvolo answered, a thoughtful look on his face. "The Elder wand… I'm surprised he still has it. It is said to be cursed."

"It isn't." Grindelwald grumbled. "It is a desired object –for good reason-, which is why it changes hands so often, but the only 'curse' is the curse of the greed of mankind. The other legend isn't true either though. It is not infallible. It has to be the most powerful wand ever made, but it can change hands through trickery and is never more loyal to one wizard than another. The ownership can even change by a disarming spell, or if it's willingly 'loaned' to another."

"How did you lose possession of it?"

"As I said, he tricked me. We lost our wands during the dual. He used a spell on me that made me think that his wand was mine and the other way around. Therefore, when I grabbed his wand, he made a dive for the Elder wand and bonded with it the moment he touched it, as I thought it was his. Foul trickery that would not have worked with any other wand, but it gave him a huge advantage. He had the most powerful wand on earth, and I had one that had not bonded with me and didn't even suit me at all. Therefore, I suddenly found myself with three enemies, my weapon being one of them. I resorted to wandless magic, but that was not powerful enough against the Death Stick."

"And so you were locked up here…"

"Yes. He even used the Elder wand to bind my own familiar to him." Grindelwald bitterly spoke.

"Ah, yes… Eldur Vaeng… Interesting choice for a name."

"I found him before I possessed the Elder wand, but was still searching for it." the other grinned, not even surprised anymore by their knowledge now. It does have another meaning as well, and I found it a rather fitting pun, yes. What has become of him?"

"He's freed himself from Albus recently."

"He has?" the man asked, for the first time something of joy in his eyes. "How?"

"Yes. By binding himself to Harry and I. Now, we have stayed long enough. Thank you for the information. The wards are still down so should you ever find a way to get your magic back, you can escape. If not… well, maybe I'll remember you in a few years."

"Wait!" Grindelwald said, but Marvolo had already embraced Harry and whisked both of them away to home.

* * *

"Hermione?" Ron asked with hesitation. The girl grunted and continued scribbling, not even looking up from her homework. Stacks of books and parchment covered in astrological charts and rune translations were scattered over the large table, almost hiding her from view.

"What is it?" she asked on an irritated tone, obviously not happy with the interruption. "I'm busy." She mumbled something to herself and proceeded to line through a few sentences, making a few notes on another piece of parchment in her immaculate handwriting.

"I… nevermind." Ron sighed, walking back to the couches in front of the fireplace, feeling rather depressed. It had been like this ever since a few weeks after Harry had left the castle. It was only now that Ron realized just how much his friend had kept the three of them together. Even during last year, when he had shunned the other out of stupidity and jealously, Harry had been practically all he and Hermione spoke of. Ever since his mate had left… it just hadn't been the same anymore.

Conversations were awkward and Ron often found himself alone on the Quidditch field or aimlessly wandering the castle. Ron didn't want to hang out in the library without someone to have fun with while the girl studied, and Hermione felt nothing for abandoning her studying in favour of playing Wizard Chess or Exploding Snap. Hogwarts had become… boring. Of course, there were still his other dorm mates, and Quidditch, but with both Harry and his brothers gone, the largest trouble-makers at school, Hogwarts had become just that. A school. it was a… strange revelation to him.

After all the things that had happened during the previous years, they had fallen from one adventure into another, and homework, lessons and exams had always played more of a minor role to him. Something to do in between battling evil plants and spiders, playing detective in magical murder mysteries, taunting their school nemesis Malfoy –and ever since he had joined the Dark he couldn't do even that anymore- and trying to discover the dark mystery behind their next DADA teacher.

And now all that was over. The days were boring, Hermione and he were drifting apart, he was always short of a partner during class –Hermione refused to 'do all the work while he sat back doodling in his books', and Divination was **hell**. In short… he wanted out. He had never been the best, or even average student, without help from both Harry and Hermione, and much rather **did **something than put theories on paper.

Abruptly, he got to his feet again and stomped over to Hermione before he could change his mind, thoughtfully putting up a privacy ward at the last moment. It wasn't his best, but it would do for now. He didn't exactly suspect any of the other Gryffindors to care too much about a conversation between Hermione and himself anyways.

"'Moine, I'm going." he firmly stated, a fire in him that he hadn't known existed.

"Okay, goodnight." she muttered absently.

"No!" he furiously whispered, looking around to make sure his wards were working. "I'm going to join Harry!"

She gave him a look as if he was crazy. "What?" Hermione huffed, half-laughing, half-confused. "You can't... you can't just **leave** Ron. What brought this on?"

"Oh really? Well, you try and stop me then! I want to be **useful**. Sitting around here doing nothing won't get me any further, will it now? War has started, and while the teachers are pretending nothing is wrong, Dumbledore has been out of the castle since the announcement of the Dark, something we shouldn't even know about as the Quibbler got banned weeks ago. It all started since Harry left, but now… now it's open. It's **war**. We have to do **something**!"

"Ron, I really don't think this is the best option. You need education as well…"

"Really, if I ever want to be an Auror, what do you think **He** will look at, grades or battle experience?"

"And if you leave, what then? I'm sorry to state it so bluntly, but you don't have any money! Who will pay for your food, your accommodation? You have nowhere to go! You mum surely won't agree with you quitting school in fifth year, even Fred and George waiting till their after their OWL's. They waited till they were of age! You aren't even allowed to use magic out of school Ron!"

His fire died as suddenly as it had flared up. "True…" he mumbled, and sat down on a rickety chair. "I can't. But… how does Harry do that?"

"I don't know." Hermione said, shaking her head, sending her curls flying everywhere. "I bet **he** has something to do with it, but I don't see how anything could break the Trace…"

"But in that case…" the boy said, brightening again. "I could send **him** a letter!"

"Have you gone **mad**? Sending The **Dark Lord** a **letter**?"

"Harry might put in a good word for me!" Ron protested.

"Oh honestly, I'm not going to be able to beat some sense in you will I?" She said, giving him a famous 'you are hopeless' look. She rummaged through the scattered parchment until she found an empty scroll, and handed him a quill. "Well then, go ahead. I **will** check it for spelling."

"Thanks Hermione!" Ron beamed. "You're brilliant!"

She huffed at the compliment and tried to hide her pink face behind her hair. "Remember that when you get in trouble out there. Oh, and I **won't** be the one to explain your mother why you have disappeared!"

And for once in months, they spent the evening happily chatting together.

* * *

Read and Review!  
xx GeMerope


	28. Part II Chapter III

The petite owl nearly crash-landed on his desk, squealing happily and dragging the letter, which was far too big on it, behind it. The Dark Lord gave it a bewildered look, not quite knowing whether he could really call it an** owl**. He put down his quill and spelled his ink-stained hands clean before carefully taking the letter in between two fingers. He made sure a thin layer of magic covered his hands so his skin did not actually come in contact with the envelope.

Summoning some small insects for the bird –he did not think it could possibly take on something larger-, he left the bird to fend for itself and turned his attention to the letter, carefully examining it for any traces of curses or jinxes. His eyes saw a weak glow of fading magic on it, but that could either indicate that it came from a place like Hogsmeade, Hogwarts, or any other magical village, **or** that there was something wrong with the letter itself. While the first option was most likely, he didn't want to take any risks.

He glanced at the small, elegant clock on his desk and saw it was late night already. The one who had sent him this must have been in a haste to contact him, unless it came from somewhere in Europe. Finally finished examining the letter and not coming up with anything unusual, he decided it could do no harm and a quick Diffindo cleanly cut it open.

The contents were not exactly what he had expected from a late-night message.

_Dear Lord._

_I am aware of that you wished for me and Hermione to stay at Hogwarts. However, I find that I am unable to sit back and do nothing. I therefore ask you kindly for help. Is it possible that you could reconsider your orders so that I can actively participate in our cause? I realise that I am still underage and hence, unable to cast magic. However, Harry seems to have somehow gotten around the Trace. Is it possible that I could do the same?_

_Thank you in advance and please send my regards to Harry._

_Yours sincerely,  
Ron Weasley._

He didn't feel the need to reread the letter, but folded it and put it in his robe, should Harry have a wish to read it. He hadn't particularly liked the youngest Weasley son the few times he'd met the boy. While he was undoubtedly very loyal to Harry, he had also neglected the knowledge of his heritage and much rather had fun than study. His lack of knowledge had been horrifying, and while his parents could partly be blamed, it really irked Marvolo that Weasley had never picked up a book himself either. If it had been the girl who had sent him a letter like this, he would not have hesitated, but he really did not know what to do with this.

As far as he knew, the boy did not have sufficient education yet, had no money and thus no means of providing for himself. Granting him the wish of being taken out of Hogwarts would come down to taking the boy into his own home, as he had nowhere else to go. There were still the Twins, but he knew that they needed all their time and focus for their inventions and shop. While he could order them to take Ronald in, he was certain that they would not exactly be happy with such an arrangement, and Marvolo also did not wish for their product to suffer under it.

Pushing that aside for a moment, he thought about the other aspects. The Trace would not be hard to get rid of. It could happen within a few hours if he managed to establish contact with his followers in the register department of the Ministry, the same he had done with Harry. From Harry's stories, he did know that his lover held his friend in high regard, despite the boy's faults. While he was not one to put his studies first, he **was** efficient when it came down to it, and had always been there to aid Harry in whatever crazy adventure they managed to land themselves in. He would certainly not be useless.

He sighed heavily, knowing that Harry would want to have the last say in this.

He got up to see if the other was still awake, but when he entered their bedroom, he saw that his love was sleeping, albeit troubled. Harry moaned quietly, his head trashing from side to side, and despite the scarce light, Marvolo saw the droplets of sweat on his forehead. He strode to the bed, worry creasing his forehead. Quick and graceful, he dropped down on one knee next to the bed and placed his hand on the other's forehead. It was hot to the touch and quickly confirmed his suspicion.

A hand clawed at the sheets as if trying to pull them away, but because of Harry's movements, he only managed to tangle himself up more. Trying to wake the other, the man gently shook him, but to no avail. The only result was an animal-like wail.

Thoughts about Ronald Weasley forgotten, Marvolo quickly shed his clothing and climbed in the bed as well, running soothing hands over Harry's body to try and cool his temperature. Finally, hazy eyes opened, giving him a wild look.

"Harry?" he whispered gently, but he saw no recognition in the wild look he was given, and he had not expected anything else. Feeling as helpless as the other times this had happened, he didn't know what to do. He feared for what re-opening the link that he had closed to be able to work would do while Harry was in such a state, and without a proper check-up on the boy's body, he could not heal him either. Hoping it was nothing worse than flu again, Marvolo embraced the other, gently pressing Harry's face in his neck with one hand. The other shuddered, and for a moment the man was afraid that the other would throw up, but thankfully he only coughed, though the rattling sound did nothing to ease his worries.

It hadn't been the first time this had happened last months, and it was frightening how often it occurred. When he had first witnessed this they had still been at Hogwarts, but over the months, Harry had often fallen ill. While the disease itself could be cured easily, it was still worrying that it happened in the first place. Even if Harry had been a Muggle and should not be supposed to have a natural defence against Muggle diseases, his body should not break down the antibodies so quickly. Everytime, without fail, it had started while the other was sleeping, so it had to be connected to that somehow, but that wasn't much information to work with.

"Ma... Marvolo?" he heard, and for a moment he thought he might have imagined the soft, broken word, but when he loosened his tight grip on Harry, the boy pulled away slightly and clearly tried to focus on him, though it was with great difficulty.

"Harry…" he softly said, kissing the teen's brow softly.

"I had a nightmare." the other confessed. "You were dying."

Marvolo tensed up at Harry's words. "I won't die love. You know I can't die."

"I know but... there was snow, and blood, and you were just lying there, and your Horcruxes were all cracked and broken and... and…" Marvolo winced, uncomfortable when nails dug into his shoulders as Harry's hands cramped. He hugged Harry again as the other pressed himself close, sobbing.

"Shh… don't you worry dear." he muttered. "I promise you that I don't plan on dying."

Even so, Harry's vision –dream, not vision, dream- put him off, and he pondered once again on finishing his path to immortality. On making his last, final Horcrux.

"Calm down Harry. It was just a nightmare. You're ill again." He said on a tone as if he was comforting a small child. It seemed to work though, as the other slowly relaxed. "Come, I'll look you over so I can heal you." He muttered, quickly pressing a kiss to the other's skin again.

"Okay." Harry quietly said, shivering again.

Marvolo spent the next few minutes running spells on the teen until he finally came to the conclusion that it was indeed a version of the flu. Somewhat relieved that it wasn't anything worse, he started healing Harry, and when it was done and the blue glow died, Harry's skin had regained some of its colour and his eyes were brighter.

"Thank you."

"You really should visit a Healer soon Harry." Marvolo pressed, knowing the other would deny it.

As he knew would happen, Harry put up his defences instantly. "There's really no need. I mean, it's just the flu…"

"Yes, but wizards aren't supposed to get the flu, unless their environment is less than desirable. Our home certainly does not fall into that category. This is the fifth time in three and a half month!

"People get ill all the time…" Harry muttered. "You can easily heal me, right?"

"Harry, **why** won't you go see a Healer? You don't even have to go to St. Mungo's. I can summon one right here to our home if you would only allow it. **Please**, you know I don't like doing anything that you don't agree with when it concerns you, but it worries me! Every damn time I don't know for how long you are out. You don't even know me when you're like that! Today was not so bad, but last time it took **hours** before you stopped struggling to get away from me."

"I really don't want to see a doctor Marvolo…" the other said, his voice muffled, and the man looked down, shocked to find brilliant green eyes panicked and teary. Stroking the boy's check with his fingers, Marvolo gave the other a sad look.

"Harry, can't you tell me why?" He asked, and sighed deeply when the teen shook his head abruptly. The link was still as shut as an iron door, and he didn't really feel like prying it open when knowing it would take a long time before Harry would forgive him. "Then, tell me something else. I heard that you have been a rather... constant occupant of the Hospital Wing in Hogwarts. As far as I know, you never feared that. Why?"

"I… I don't really know myself." Harry answered after a slight hesitation. "Well, the first time I had to go there, I was in the magical world for only a short time, and other than Draco and his cronies, had not really come across anyone** bad**, you know? I suppose I connected anything to do with magic and Hogwarts as wonderful… It might also be because of Madame Pomfrey herself. She's so… I don't know… is McGonagall-ish a word?" he half laughed.

Marvolo rolled his eyes. "No, but I understand what you mean."

"Yes, well, the first time I had to go to the Hospital Wing I was unconscious, I believe… something with Quidditch. I remember a lot of pain, but when I awoke I was completely fine. Completely healed, and there Madame Pomfrey was scolding me, but obviously worried. I never was... afraid. But now, to see a Healer I don't know… I now know that magic doesn't make a person** good**. The Dursleys took me to several doctors in the Muggle world and… and those are experiences I'd rather not repeat."

"Even so, I really want you to have this looked at. What if I managed to bring the Hogwarts school nurse here?"

"Madame Pomfrey? Here?" Harry asked, perplexed. "Is she on our side?"

"No. Not as far as I know. She isn't in the Order either though."

"Then… you are planning on kidnapping her?"

Harry sounded rather doubting, but Marvolo nodded. "I do. If someone can get her out of Hogwarts' wards and force her to take a Portkey…"

"But who? I doubt Eyolf can make her leave the hospital wing. She'll just tell him to bring the patient to her."

"Indeed… and that is where your friends come into play."

* * *

"Ron, **Ron**!"

"Huh?" he grumbled, looking at Hermione. At the front of the classroom, professor Binns' droning voice didn't change a bit. "What is it?"

"Pigwidgeon!" she hissed, pointing at one of the windows, where indeed, a tiny ball of feathers was trying to imitate a fly, constantly bumping against the glass in an attempt to get in.

"Oh bloody bird." Ron said, getting up and opening a window. He plucked the owl out of the air, ignoring the cooing sounds of the girls in the classroom. Stuffing the letter away, he glared at the bird. "Couldn't you have come during breakfast? You know, mail time?"

Pig chirped and 'affectionately' picked his finger. "Ouch!" He let out a stream of curses as the owl continued pecking happily, oblivious to Ron's discomfort. He was glad the lesson was nearly over, and spent the next ten minutes until the bell rang by trying to fend Pig off with a few pencils until finally, Hermione had enough mercy to freeze the animal, to much dismay from the rest of the class.

When class was finally over, he and Hermione excused themselves and searched a hiding spot in a rarely used corridor. While Hermione threw up just about any protective ward she could think of, Ron carefully opened the letter, and was surprised when he saw Harry's familiar scrawl. "It's from Harry!" he said, excited, and Hermione hastened towards him to red over his shoulder.

_Hey Ron, -and judging by the wording and handwriting of the previous letter, I guess Hermione too-_

I **told** you it sounded nothing like me! Why did you feel the need to rewrite that whole bloody letter?"

"You sounded like a troll in your first draft Ron! Just continue reading!"

_We got your letter yesterday, and though it took some convincing on my part, Marvolo is willing to let you stay here until you find somewhere else. The Trace is absolutely no problem. He's getting rid of that this instant. –Hermione, for you too, just in case- Before you come here, he does assign you a task though. See it as a test of sorts. I included three Portkeys in this envelope. The numbers on them show the date and time they will work, so you have three chances. They only work outside of the wards, so you will have to be in either Hogsmeade or one of the tunnels leading there. You could try the Room of Requirements as well, it might be easier. Well then, when you portkey over here, make sure Madame Pomfrey gets transported as well. She's not on our side, so you'll have to trick her, but it's really important that she gets here. Marvolo will write Eyolf a letter to modify the memories of whoever is in the Hospital wing when you try and get her to 't be worried about your stuff, we can get a house-elf to pick that up later. Hogwarts' wards don't detect one from coming and leaving when they don't take humans with them._

_Good luck, and I hope to see you soon.  
Harry._

_P.S. Ron, I feel that I should warn you for having to see an awful lot of gay snuggling when you live here. Hope it won't bother you too much._

Hermione burst out in giggles at the last sentence while Ron became beet-red.

* * *

"Silence!" he shouted, trying to hide his nervously trembling hands by gripping the back of the chair in front of him. He felt the wood become slippery with his sweat and gritted his teeth. This couldn't happen. He should be stronger than this. These vultures knew** nothing** about the hardships of his position… who were they to judge him?

The people inside his office were agitated, fishing for answers he didn't yet know. Fudge wished they would all** go** and leave him in peace, but peace was not something granted to him since You-Know-Who had publically made his announcements. And now this… 'Where do you stand?', 'What is your opinion of him?', 'Will the Ministry continue to be able to protect the people?', 'Will we negotiate with him?'

How should he know when not having had even a minute of rest to think this situation over? Breathing heavily, he adjusted his lime-green bowler and looked each of them in the eyes. It didn't do as much to calm his nerves as he had hoped it would.

"Leave."

"But-"

"**Leave**!" he thundered. "I am the highest authority here, and you will not tell me what to do, so leave!"

They scurried out of the door, though his personal assistant lingered behind, frowning at him. "The people await answers, Minister. If you cannot give them those, they might look for those elsewhere or, Merlin forbid, start gossiping."

"I don't need your opinion on this Jones. I'm very well aware of the situation." he curtly replied, and the man left his office with a last nod.

Finally, he sat down, sighing heavily, groaning at the luxury of** sitting** for more than three seconds. It was something he'd been denied far too long. He gathered some parchment and began to write down the facts. He had not answered You-Know-Who's call. As Minister, it would not have been wise to openly obey a Dark Lord known for throwing the country into chaos and a bloodbath before. Personally though, he wished he could have gone, so he would not have a target painted on his back as he had now. He recalled You-Know-Who's words… enemy of the new regime. That is, if He would succeed.

He still didn't know what to do. He had seen the whole event through several memories, but he still did not know what stance he had to take. The Ministry's relationship with the Order of the Phoenix was feeble at best, and now Harry Potter so openly supported the Dark, he did not think the Order would be much of a force. Dumbledore was way past his prime and would not be able to take down a second Dark Lord.

And with the army the Dark had gathered and the sympathy they got of the masses… perhaps the Ministry wouldn't be able to either. But he would be damned if he was going to let a tyrant take over his job!

Perhaps… perhaps he could play a double game to buy some time. It would be a high risk, but maybe it would allow him to make a better decision in time.

* * *

Bursting through the doors of the Hospital Wings was one very distressed Hermione Granger, and Madame Pomfrey looked up, ready to scold the girl until she saw the state the student was in.

"Miss Granger, what is going on?"

"It's Ron." Granger said, wringing her hands nervously. "He... he had discovered a secret passageway and decided that he wanted to see where it led to today. I told him not to, of course, but he didn't listen and now the tunnel gave in and half crushed him. I don't know what to do. I considered going to a teacher but I don't want him to get in trouble… could you… could you help him? I was afraid that I might do more damage than is the case now if I tried to levitate the rocks…"

"Very well, but it should have been better if you would have found a teacher first." The nurse scolded her, worried. Why did she ever choose to become a nurse in this godforsaken castle… At least she currently had no other patients than Daphne Greengrass, who was just recovering from her broken nose, and Roderick Yeats, chaser on the Hufflepuff team who'd just had what they now called, a 'Lockheart incident'. She never would understand why players were not brought to her before random onlookers tried to prove they could win the next Healer of the Year Award.

Taking her wand and making sure the other two were currently fine, she followed Granger with a brisk pace, irritated when they did not come across any other staff members who could have helped her. Really, students these days… getting themselves stuck Merlin-knows-where… She had hoped that after the banes of every teacher, the Weasley Twins, had left, she wouldn't end up with Weasleys all over the place anymore, but now their younger brother had apparently decided to take their place.

She followed Granger to a rather empty part of the castle –and really, no-one could make her believe that had he 'accidentally' discovered a secret tunnel here if he hadn't been actively looking for one-. The only reason for the particular corridor to be here seemed to be that the Founders hadn't had enough bricks to fill up every useless space in the castle. Her suspicions increased after the girl tapped the only thing in the corridor, a rather ugly statue that had undoubtedly been moved here so it wouldn't hurt anyone's eyes, and murmured a spell, making the hump open up, revealing a dark entrance.

"He's in here, a good half a mile in, I think." the girl said, still looking worried. "What time is it?"

"Time?" Madame Pomfrey asked, bewildered. Why would anyone care about the **time** right now? "If you're afraid to be caught out of curfew, don't worry, last time I checked it was half past eight. It can't be past nine yet so curfew is still some time away."

"Right." the girl said, obviously relieved by the answer. "It's just that I hadn't checked after dinner so…" She didn't continue, and climbed into the statue. "Careful, it's low here." she said, her voice echoing spookily. On her guard, Pomfrey followed the Gryffindor, keeping her head ducked and her wand ready. Granger lit the way with her wand, and after a long time, they saw a twist in the tunnel. "It's right behind this corner. Ron? Ron, how are you?" A pained groan followed, and Pomfrey pushed forwards, stepping in front of Granger to reach the boy.

She heard the words, but reacted too late, and in a few second, she fell to the ground, every limb of her body rigid. It helped somewhat that arms caught her just before she hit stone, but as sharp rocks dug into her skin, she knew her legs would be bruised in a few hours nonetheless.

"Oh, gods, I can't believe we did this…" Granger said, her voice laden with horror.

"Well, we did." Weasley answered with a shrug. "And come on Hermione, it's not like we haven't deceived teachers before… What about that time you set Snape on fire?"

"But that… that was a whole different situation!" Granger huffed. "And Snape is not the school's **nurse**."

Weasley burst out in laughter, probably imagining Severus as a nurse, and even Poppy had to smile inwardly at that image. Severus, bustling about the infirmary in a white apron and cap… Sometimes, imagination was frighteningly limitless.

"How long do we still have?" Ron asked.

"I'd say a minute or ten… I stupidly forgot to check before going here, and as we're out of the castle I can't cast a tempus either… you'd better hold it ready. We can't keep her hidden till the day after tomorrow." On that, Weasley sat down on the ground next to her and took her hand, a round object pressing against both their palms. "Ron…" Granger said, her voice quivering. "It will be long till I see you again, won't it?"

"Yes… Hermione, I wish you'd come too… it'd be like the old times… Harry, you, me, adventures…"

"A war is not exactly an adventure." the girl somberly replied. "You don't** have** to go…"

"Of course I must. If not before, I surely must now. What would** he** say if I chickened out now?"

"I don't** care** what he would say." she snapped.

"'Mione… I want to stay together too, but I** must** do this. I signed up for this and I'm going to carry out my duty too. I'm not useful at all at Hogwarts. We spoke about this before… But… but even…" Weasley took a deep, shivering sigh, and Pomfrey was **really** getting annoyed at the harsh grip of hand. "Even though we'll be apart… you'll always be in my thoughts. You're an amazing friend and I really don't know what I would ever have done without you."

"Ron…"

"No, let me finish please. I'm sorry for all my jerkish behaviour. I know I was wrong last year, with Krum but... I was just…"

"A prat?"

"Jealous!" Weasley said, and Poppy let out a mental suffering groan. Teen drama. Great. "I didn't even know it then, but Hermione, I lo-"

A slap echoed through the tunnel, and two pair of disbelieving eyes fell on the suddenly furious girl.

"Don't. You.** Dare** finish that sentence Ron Weasley. All this time. **ALL** this time you could've told me and you choose** this** moment? When you're about to leave to fight in a war without knowing when you'll come back, **if** you'll come back? Oh no, I will not have it. It's either too late or too soon, but I will not be cooped up in this castle, waiting for what we might have after this war."

Poppy tuned out the tearful confessions of Weasley that followed in favour of letting her mind wander to dark, happy places where she could imagine all the ways in which she would let them suffer when she would be able to move again. Irritated when she tried to move her stiff joints and didn't succeed, she gave the boy, who had apparently given up and looked pretty defeated, the most evil glare she could muster, not at all feeling sorry for him. Really, what had he expected for Granger? An 'oh I'll wait for you forever, nevermind that you only just now realised that you should get me before someone else does'?

He seemed to hesitate for a moment and looked at her, shaken by the force of her glare –she hoped- "Sorry ma'am." he whispered. "I wouldn't do this if I hadn't been ordered to."

She thought it was a pretty lame excuse and made no effort at all to lessen her glare. Weasley sighed and looked up at the girl. They had apparently reached a silent agreement, for Weasley hesitantly reached out to grab the girl's hand, getting a tight, comforting squeeze in return before letting go.

"It shouldn't be long now so…" Ron started. "Bye 'Mione. Take care, I'll write you soon."

"Bye Ron." Granger said, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "Try not to get on his bad side." she chuckled weakly. "Or Harry might have you head."

"Harry?" he laughed. "You're worried about what** Harry** might do? I'm far more concerned about what the Dark Lord might do if I pissed him off!"

Granger smiled and opened her mouth to answer, but the next moment they were thrown into a spinning blur with the telltale feeling of a hook behind her navel. She hated Portkeys… She disliked most everything in general out of principle so that didn't say that much, but she** really** hated Portkeys.

From the scene she saw when she landed and the previous conversation she'd heard, she had a pretty strong feeling that she knew exactly where she was. A door swung open before she could take in the whole room and she closed her eyes, counting to ten after getting a glimpse of the man who entered, mentally cursing when she opened her eyes again and he didn't have the decency to be a hallucination. Poppy just averted her eyes to look at the Weasley brat. –not that he was such a pleasant sight. He'd gone pale and was dirty from the tunnel they'd just left.-

"Weasley. I'm pleased that you were able to find an opportunity so soon." the Dark Lord spoke in a smooth, soft voice that nonetheless sounded as dangerous as the poisoned teeth of a Peruvian Vipertooth. Surprisingly, despite all the horror stories she had heard from the staff members who were part of the Order, he didn't really look all that scary. Strange, yes, but she wouldn't call him **ugly**. She stopped her assessment of his looks when he turned to her.

"Mrs Pomfrey." He nodded, and she felt life return to her limbs. "I apologise for the circumstances, but I did not think you would react on a summoning of mine if I had personally asked you."

"I would like to know **why** I've been kidnapped, and I also would like to draw your attention to the fact that I can kill someone as easily as I can heal one when treating a patient. If you will force me to do something I strongly disagree with, be sure to suffer the consequences!" she stated, squaring her shoulders and completely ignoring the fact that he towered over her. Height was relative anyways.

Though a bit disappointed when he didn't falter a bit and his only reaction was a raised eyebrow, Poppy continued to hold his gaze without fear. He obviously needed her here for something, and she would fully exploit that.

"As you know, Harry Potter is here. He is in need of a Healer, and you are the only one he trusts. I can't fathom why. Follow me. Weasley, go to the second floor and pick a room. I will send a house-elf to fetch your belongings later. We will talk about what further to do with you tomorrow."

"I... can't I go see Harry first?" Weasley said, but was met with an unrelenting expression.

"No. His health comes first."

Pomfrey was surprised that he had answered her question, and even more so about that she was here because of** Potter**. She could have known… that boy always got in trouble. What she also hadn't expected was the underlying worry in You-Know-Who's voice, though if she wouldn't have been forced to deal with concerned family and friend of patients her whole life, she probably wouldn't have caught it.

"What's wrong with him?"

"At the moment he's fine, but his condition can change quickly and I want him healed as fast as possible. Now go. You are in my home now, and are expected to follow my word without question. This was both your first and last slip-up, I may hope?"

"Yes, my Lord." Weasley mumbled, and quickly went up the stairs.

* * *

Read and review!  
xx GeMerope


	29. Part II Chapter IV

Sweat dripped from his brow as he dodged a purple blast and he whirled around, cursing himself for not changing into more comfortable clothes, like he would do before stepping a foot on the battlefield. "_**Ignis Vena**_!" he shouted, and a network of sizzling red wires shot from the tip of his wand seemingly at random. His opponent blasted the net, which had solidified to hot ropes, apart just before it could leave burns on his skin.

"Getting vicious, are you now Potter?" Rodolphus asked, raising an eyebrow, not even for a moment relaxing his stance.

Harry just grinned at him and raised his wand again, but before he could throw another spell –and he'd been about to cast a damn good one too…- they both jumped at the sound of the doors of the training room banging open. Harry would never let Rodolphus live down the panicked expression on his face at the sound. His grin slid off his face though when a furious Marvolo stormed in Or rather... gracefully but firmly strode into the room. Dark Lords didn't **storm** in.

"Don't give me another headache." Harry said, wincing as anger battered on his brain. "What's wrong?"

"What's** wrong**? **You** should be in** bed**, **that's** what's wrong. And instead I find you here, doing Morgana-knows-what."

"Training" Harry cut in, annoyed, but it seemed his input was being completely ignored.

~I believe I told you to rest until Madame Pomfrey had gotten here. But of** course** you don't listen to me!~ Marvolo hissed, displeased

~I am** not** ill! I feel** fine** and am perfectly healthy at the moment! I was healed **days** ago. Why the hell should I stay in bed? I agreed to the first days because I needed rest, I did not agree to the two that followed!~ the teen threw back, equally angry now.

Marvolo's mood shifted so quickly that it was creepy, and when Harry looked around, he saw Rodolphus was nowhere to be seen anymore, the coward.

"Harry, I'm just worried about you." Marvolo muttered, placing his arms around the teen and pulling the other against his chest. Sighing, Harry laid his head against the hard surface to listen to the steady rhythm of the man's heart.

"I know. I still think you're over-worried sometimes. That you're older doesn't mean that you have to fuss over me so much love. So, I take that Ron and Madame Pomfrey arrived?"

"Yes, yes they did. I brought her upstairs to wait for us, and Ronald is searching for a room he likes."

"Thank you for letting him stay here for the time being. I know you don't like him."

"And I know you do." Marvolo answered, ruffling Harry's hair before kissing the top of the messy head. "Come, we mustn't let her waiting for too long. Who knows what angry nurses can do…"

Harry laughed. "Knowing her… more than you could ever imagine. Best go quickly." He yelped when he was picked up. "I can walk by myself!"

"Of course you can. But I prefer carrying you."

Harry rolled his eyes, but secretly loved the feeling, and he wrapped his arms around the man's neck to steady himself. He shivered lightly when noticing the heartbeat that thudded slowly against him, mingling with his own, much quicker one. He suddenly felt unexplainably happy, and got a wave of warmth in return when sharing the feeling through the link. Their minds were closed now more often than he liked, but he realised that it distracted Marvolo a lot to constantly feel and hear Harry's emotions and thoughts when trying to work. He himself didn't have that problem, as the older man had much more grip on whatever he sent through.

He gave a light sigh when at last, he was put down on his feet again. He didn't bother flattening his hair or straightening his robes. Madame Pomfrey had seen him far worse than he looked after a short round of training.

The nurse was already beside the bed, her hands in her sleeves, standing as still as a statue. Only when she saw him did she move, a slight quirk of her mouth telling him that she was pleased to see him. They had an odd relationship indeed. Despite –or perhaps because of- being one of the most regular patients in the Hospital Wing, she had always been nicer to him that others in general, and somehow he didn't get the idea that it was because he was the bloody Boy-Who-Lived.

He always knew what to expect. Maybe that was why he liked her so much. She was straightforward and didn't try to lie about things that were about to hurt, like most doctors had done before painfully plunging a needle in his arm. Before swallowing the Skele-gro, she'd told him it would be extremely gross and painful, and somehow, he minded that much less than if she would have given him something that hurt less, but of which she would have said that it wouldn't hurt at all. Her honesty was a trait he favoured above anything else.

She approached him and gave him a short nod, ignoring Marvolo completely, which he had somehow expected. He was sure that she would go far lengths to irritate her kidnapper, even though it was Harry who was to blame for her being here.

XxX

"Now, Mr Potter, lie down on the bed." Poppy strictly said, pleased when the boy did so immediately and less pleased with the Dark Lord who was practically breathing in her neck, watching the both of them like a hawk. She felt much for turning around and poking him in the eye, but something told her that wasn't a good idea. Perhaps the fact that his wand was drawn and pressed against her spine. "Good, now, hold still while I scan you."

Drawing her own wand, she approached the bed and conjured several scanning orbs that went through the boy's skin at several points, gathering information. The silence hung thick in the room as all three of them watched the pulsing green flashes that appeared on the skin's surface. Minutes later they returned to her, and she frowned.

"This will be tougher than I thought. Physically, nothing is wrong with you. That leaves an irregularity in either your mental or magical state, both of which are impossible to simply scan. It might also be that your magic reacts to your mental state or, something else entirely."

"Something else entirely?" Harry asked, sounding frightened. "Well that are a lot of options that I don't really like. What else could it be?"

"Possession by a creature, a curse placed on you… the chances for both of these are rather small though."

"But you can do something? Whatever it is?" The Dark Lord asked, sounding tense.

"Of course, I'm a Healer. I was trained in more than healing physical injuries." Poppy stated, offended. "Potter, when do you get ill? Is there any sort of pattern?"

"I... don't know. Well, it's always when I'm asleep, but I can't really remember if anything happens… Sometimes Marvolo was there, but he said that nothing strange happened. It just starts with me suddenly thrashing, sweating and mumbling… right?"

"Marvolo?"Poppy said. It would be much easier if she could speak to an actual witness of it… "Could you call this man here?"

"I'm already here." The Dark Lord behind her said, and she mentally cursed. Bloody great. Him.

"Describe to me the first time this happened." She demanded, not even trying to hide her surly tone.

"The first, the last... they're all the same. When he is asleep nothing is wrong, but in the middle of the night he begins to trash, lash out, sweat, shiver… And when he wakes up he often has a high fever. The disease itself isn't bad. Flu, migraine… common Muggle diseases."

"Diseases you shouldn't be able to get…" she muttered. "Let me check that…" This time, she ran a more thorough check, and while again, the result was that he was physically healthy, she did notice something peculiar. Or rather, it was normal, but peculiar from what she had just heard. "You indeed** shouldn't** be able to get these diseases. You have all necessary magical antibodies. I am clueless as to why they don't do their job."

"Magical antibodies…? Harry asked, but before she had a chance to explain, the Dark Lord spoke up.

"The body of Muggles makes antibodies while ill and for some time after having the disease. With wizards though, their magic can recognise and duplicate the antibodies of people around you who have them, so you do not need to have been ill to get your body start making them. The only disadvantage is that, should your magic be stopped in some way, you are vulnerable to diseases as your body itself has never created them and thus can't do so either. Your magic, however, hasn't been stopped, hence why you do have the antibodies that your magic picked up from someone else a long time ago and constantly creates now. There is indeed no reason as to why they aren't doing what they should."

"And what would happen if you would try making me ill right now?" Harry asked.

"No." the Dark Lord immediately loudly said.

"A weak version! Muggles do it too!"

"I said no."

"It might be an idea." Poppy butted in. "We could observe what happens. Besides, I could heal it again in a second."

Red eyes flicked between her and the boy on the bed for a few seconds before the man breathed out slowly. Someone needed to work on anger management…

"A weak version. If you get no results I will heal him."

"Fine. _**Rapida Laboro Malforta Mikrobo Gripo**_!" She said, pointing her wand at the boy's mouth. They waited a few minutes but absolutely nothing happened. A quick scan told her that most of the microbes had been completely erased and others were about to be, like they should.

"Right. Nothing wrong with your antibodies when they're there." She sighed. "I need more information. I might be trying to tackle this problem from a completely wrong angle. Harry, whenever you sleep… does something strange happen? Or do you have bad dreams?"

The chance in posture was minimal. Muscles twitching, his back hunching over slightly more, the boy's arm shifting an inch… To her trained eye, it was more than enough.

"Harry… I know not all of your scars are from Quidditch." she quietly said. "You have nothing to be ashamed of…" She felt magic building up and quickly took a step back as her patient began to shake, trying to hold himself together. "Harry?"

Then, he coughed. Once, twice… Shivering, the teen curled up. Before she could move a finger, the Dark Lord strode to the bed and healed the other.

"Well… good thing is that I now know what is wrong with him… bad news is that I do not have a quick cure for it. I'd hoped I could at least have healed him before Christmas."

"Christmas?" Harry said, bewildered.

"Yes…" Pomfrey said. "It's Thursday the twenty-first Harry… Christmas holidays at Hogwarts start this saturday…"

"Why do you think I wanted Weasley to leave as soon as possible? He wouldn't have been able to get the nurse here when at home, could he? Had you honestly forgotten?"

"Guess my head was just... elsewhere… We haven't spoken about Christmas at all." Harry frowned, and Pomfrey got the idea that this was probably not a conversation she wanted to hear.

"Illness. Potter. Solution. Anyone here still following me?" If she hadn't been so certain of that she were needed to much to be harmed, she'd never dared to use such a tone, but as it was, she was one of the few people in the safe-zone.

"Yes, of course." the Dark Lord said, clearly irritated when he spun around to face her. His hand twitched, but otherwise he showed no other sign of that he had noticed her rudeness. "Nightmares trigger his magic so it all concentrates on trying to erase that from his mind, but then it neglects its other duties, and as the house is not automatically cleansed of microbes that can't usually harm a wizard at all, Harry has falls ill. Solution: none that I can currently see except rid the house of those microbes. He has been through an ibu to restore his magic recently so all that could be done has been done in that regard. The only solution would be to overcome his trauma, which could take years of therapy. Sorry Harry, merely stating facts." he said apologetically to the teen, who had curled up into himself even more. "Would it help his trauma if the offenders were dead?"

For a moment, she thought he was joking, but she could find nothing in his expression but dead seriousness. She was afraid to answer while knowing that her next words could very well decide the lives of several people. it wasn't hard to guess where Harry's trauma came from. They weren't good people, she knew as much from what she had found on the boy even when he had first arrived in her hospital wing, but they were still human beings. That the logical answer was 'yes' didn't really make her feel much better.

Her dilemma was temporarily delayed with his next question, although that one didn't really make her feel better. "You said that you knew where his scars came from. Why did you never report it?"

"Because I couldn't. My job is a confidential one. Without permission of the patient I am literally unable to convey information about their condition to anyone. The moment my magic touches them to heal them I enter a magical contract."

"And the permission? Should it be explicitly given through a written or vocal contract?"

"No, nothing like that. My magic recognises their consent. Otherwise I wouldn't even have been able to speak to you about his current state. After all, he did not state his permission."

"Interesting… Now, for the previous question. You silence was as good an answer as any. It is time that they pay for their crimes."

"NO." Harry suddenly stated, and the two adults turned to the teen, who had a determined expression on his face. "No, I want them to suffer. I want them to see this world, their perfect normal world, change into something they can't comprehend and will hate. I want them to be forced to live in a place where magical people will be just as accepted as they always have been. And I also want them to see me, what I have become. They can't be killed yet."

The Dark Lord sighed and rested his hand on the boy's head, his face disturbingly worried and human. Poppy turned away, but her resolve to see this man as the killer he was faded when she saw him interact with Potter. "I hold your health in higher regard than perfect revenge." he said, but even though Potter hummed and…butted his head against the hand like a damned pet, he finally looked up to the other with bright eyes.

"But it is not **your** revenge. It is mine. As such, it is also my decision to make. I will agree to some form of therapy, but the Dursleys will be left alone for now."

"Some form?"

"Only from someone I know." he stubbornly said, turning his hopeful gaze to Poppy. She hesitated, not knowing what to do. She wasn't qualified as a therapist, and had no idea how to even start. Besides that, she was the only Healer at Hogwarts, and the students there needed her as well.

"I can't." She stated, and her heart broke when despair entered his eyes. "I do not have the experience… I'm sorry."

A high hissing filled the room once more, and an unpleasant shiver went down her spine. It even sounded creepy when Potter spoke it, but the Dark Lord's voice sounded as if he was a demon summoned from that place Muggles called hell. Still, she wouldn't let him intimidate her in any way, so she pretended not to hear them and took in the room. It was clearly the master bedroom, and even if she hadn't seen how the Dark Lord reacted on Potter, this would have been a dead giveaway. She tried very hard not to picture the two of them being… intimate, but somehow it was a fascinating concept. Not like a school girl would be fascinated about it, of course, but to imagine something so twisted and mutilated as that man's body naked both intrigued and disgusted the Healer in her. It was a miracle to her that he could still function, and she came to the conclusion that it could only be that magic had taken over the functions that had stopped working or did not work optimally.

Still, no matter how interesting it was, she was not surprised by the lack of mirrors in the room.

What** did **surprise her though, was how normal the room looked. A tad dark in colour, but very warm and comfortable. Not the first things she would have associated with the Dark Lord. She walked towards the window, turning her back on the other two to give them a bit more privacy. While she couldn't understand them, she had noticed that they held back in touching if they were observed –something for which part of her was grateful-, but this was their house, their room, and she felt that it would only be appropriate if she were the one to hold back, not the other way around.

While gazing out of the window, hearing the now soft whispers behind her made her smile. Despite Dumbledore's nagging, he had never been able to fully convince her that someone could be fully, completely evil, and it was a relief to see that she had been right in that regard. Of course, if she would ever have a say in it, that man should get a life sentence in Azkaban for all his crimes, but it was good to know that even he was not evil itself on this world. Even through her cynic view on life, it made her smile.

However, staring at a rainy hill for what seemed like hours was too much for her patience, so in the end, she spoke up. "So, are you going to let me return Hogwarts? I cannot do much more for you Mr Potter, and knowing you, I doubt that you would want me to neglect my other patients for just a chat with you." She turned around, not really surprised when seeing that the Dark Lord had seated himself on the bed, Potter half on his lap.

The Dark Lord let out a disbelieving laugh. "Let you return? Just like that? With memories intact and no security at all? Who is to say you won't run straight to Dumbledore? Your contract with Harry does not cover any other information than about his health. No, I don't think so."

She pressed her lips tightly together. And here she had almost begun to be able to stand him. "Well." She finally brusquely said. "I suppose that, should Mr Potter require any other assistance, he can go find another nurse then, as I won't remember a thing."

The next minute was the hardest staring contests she'd ever held, and that said something; in her fifth year as a Hogwarts' student she had even beaten the caretaker's **cat**. When red eyes finally turned away, she mentally chalked 'Dark Lord Voldemort' on her victory list.

"I will set up a contract. And don't you even think about trying to find loopholes: there won't be any." he growled, abruptly standing and stalking out of the room with long strides.

"So… what will happen now?" Harry asked, sounding nervous.

"Well, as you are physically fine, it is no good trying to keep you confined to bed, so until you find a therapist, there is really not much that can be done. I suppose life will go on like usually, however it is that you like to spend your days… or are allowed to."

She raised her eyebrows when he angrily glared at her. "I am** allowed** to do whatever I want. I'm here because I want to."

"Purely out of curiousity… how long have you been together?" She asked, genuinely interested.

"About half a year." Harry mumbled, a smile tugging at his lips and his eyes instantly softening. Pomfrey smiled as well at his loving expression. "Are we really that obvious?"

"Quite." she smiled.

"So, how are things at Hogwarts?"

"Oh, much the same. Quidditch did not stop because you and those damned twins quit the Gryffindor team Potter. Broken bones, bruises, brain damage… Honestly, I think venturing into the forbidden forest is much safer than playing Quidditch. It seems our dear headmaster has a thing for forbidding relatively dangerous things and encouraging very dangerous ones."

"I actually want to try to become a professional player after the war." Harry cheerily said, and Poppy groaned.

"You would. I'll make sure to have the whole of St Mungo's ready for that day." She actually doubted that they could be… Even in the 'friendly' Hogwarts Quidditch games the hospital wing was packed full with injured students.

"Much appreciated." another voice said, and they looked up to find the Dark Lord returned, a thick scroll in his hands. She was amazed by how fast he had set the contract up. It had been only minutes since he had left. He did look extremely tired on a second notice, so perhaps he had altered time. He handed her the scroll and gave her a dangerous look. "Read it, sign it, and follow it if you don't want to die."

She practically snatched it from his hand. "Yes yes, I'd figured that when you went to set this up already. There's no need to go all ominous on me." She sat down on one of the two chairs in the room and started to read it though thoroughly, not bothering to check the Dark Lord's reaction. It really was as loophole-free as he'd said it would be. It really was a perfect secrecy contract. If she had actually been planning to tell Dumbledore or anyone else anything, this would have made it impossible. Even the method of 'I'm lying to you but making it so obvious that you know I am lying' had been included in it. When she was finally through it all, twenty minutes had passed. Taking the quill she was being offered, she signed her name, and the contract shone bright silver before disappearing.

"How can I return to the castle?" She asked.

"_**Portus**_." the Dark Lord said, pointing his wand at the quill in her hands." Next thing she knew, she was in the Dark tunnel again where she'd left.

"Rude much?" she huffed, brushing the dust off of her skirt.

XxX

Hands carded through his hair and Harry leaned further into the touch, enjoying the feeling of nails scraping his scalp softly. Breathing in the man's scent, he buried his face in the crook of a pale neck.

"I'm glad I know what's wrong with me now." he said. "But I still don't know what to do now…"

"I will ask around among the people you know first to see if anyone is qualified as therapist or has at least some sort of experience with it."

"And if not?"

"Then we'll look for another solution. Harry, don't worry so much…" Marvolo gently said as the teen tensed up. "At least we can prevent you from falling ill again now by ridding the house of any microbes."

"Marvolo? How come I didn't fall ill during my ibu? My magic was sealed then as well."

"Yes, but an ibu is a natural process. Most of your magic sealed itself away, but there is always a bit that lingers, not enough for you to use, but enough to take care of the usual passive processes in your body. During your nightmares though, your magic is all forced to concentrate on erasing the dream, every single bit of it."

"Don't more people have such a thing?"

"Could be, but most Wizarding children grow up in good environments."

"And… and you?"

Marvolo was silent for some time, and when he did speak again, his voice sounded strange, as if he were far away. "I did have nightmares. But I used other means to erase them. I took care of the problem while I was awake, and I had a fierce control over my own magic. I** am** my magic, and therefore it doesn't do anything I do not actively allow."

"Even when you were… unstable…?"

"Yes. My mind had deteriorated, but my magic still followed that mind, hence the destruction that I brought forth."

"Marvolo? Completely off-topic but... why don't you celebrate Christmas?"

"I never really gave it much thought… There always is an annual Yule Ball at Malfoy Manor, but I could never show up among people like the Minister of Magic. They would have arrested me on the spot. I never really had anyone to celebrate it with, and really, after my Hogwarts years I was always too busy to celebrate any holiday. I didn't know it meant so much to you."

"I never did until Hogwarts… but then…" the teen smiled, remembering the first presents had been given. "It was such a wonderful feeling, knowing someone** cared**."

Arms wrapped around him and held him tightly. "Well, while I have nothing prepared, this time we** could** go to the ball if you want to. Everyone is aware of that I'm back, and while I **still** haven't heard any sort of reaction from the Ministry's side, they will not throw me in prison while about half of the population is either at my side or thinking of joining me."

"I'd love to go!" Harry said. "Be warned though: I can't dance."

Marvolo laughed and quickly kissed his head. "I'll teach you. Now, there is someone who wants to see you."

"Ron!"

"Indeed. He shouldn't be far away. I sent him upstairs to search a room to stay in for the time being."

Harry kissed his lover briefly on the lips and tried to jump up but suddenly found himself pinned to the bed.

"Don't think you can get away that quickly after a kiss." Marvolo growled, and proceeded to ravish the boy's mouth, getting turned on by Harry's moans.

"Mph... Ma…Marvolo." Harry managed to say. The Dark Lord hummed, released the teen after a last, long lingering swipe of his tongue, which had conveniently turned forked. "I thought you said I had to hurry because Ron was waiting?"

"I didn't breathe a word about hurrying up. I merely stated the fact that he was awaiting your presence. For all I care he can wait until he grows a unicorn horn."

"Speaking of horns…" Harry said, biting his lips to suppress a giggle as Marvolo quirked a suggestive eyebrow.

Needing no further encouragement, the man leaned in closer again, his body fast and agile. With deft fingers, he undid the boy's robes and made quick work of his own. Harry automatically rubbed his back against the mattress to get a bit more warmth as cool air hit his skin. Despite being inside, it was still December, and the house hadn't been warmed up much. The House-elves still didn't really see him as their Master, and thus provided the maximal comfort for Marvolo only, which sadly, included a lower temperature as anyone else would think pleasant.

Seeing Harry's goose bumps, the other quickly warmed the room, and Harry sagged in relief as the temperature went up. "Much better." he murmured, but then he momentarily forgot how to produce any sound but mewls as a teasing, wet tongue slowly started to trace the shell of his ear. He was aware of every patch of skin that Marvolo was pressing against, and even more so of every piece that wasn't being touched yet, but should be. He didn't care that he seemed desperate as he ran his hands over the man's ribcage and sides, but he **needed** more.

After a long time of being too busy to think of sex though, Marvolo appeared to have other plans, and mercilessly teased him by giving him a light stroke here and a raking of nails there, enough to make him cry out in frustration but never enough to** feel**.

"Touch me!" he hissed through his teeth, getting furious by the slow pace.

It fell to deaf ears. He found his hands suddenly stuck above his head, immobilized. Dread spread through him, knowing the other wouldn't be done playing for a long time. He reluctantly gave in to the kisses that were placed on him and Harry made sure that the message that anything he enjoyed would be under protest was clear to his lover. Finger pads traced his body, the feeling lingering even after the hands had pulled away. Marvolo moved excruciatingly slowly, his eyes closed in bliss as he reveled every languid move.

It was impossible though, to hold back a moan when his left nipple was briefly flicked with long nails, and Harry's chest heaved heavily, arching up to have it repeated. He sighed softly as a mouth enclosed the small bud, the sweet, arousing feeling of wet, sucking movements making him both aroused and relaxed. With hazy eyes, he watched Marvolo, and Harry's head lolled to one side to get a better look. He shuddered at the sight of a tiny transparent thread of saliva that connected them for a second after the other had pulled away, before it broke.

"I love you." Marvolo suddenly said. "I really, really love you."

Fuzzy feelings warmed his insides and he tried to hide his blush by turning his head away from the serious look his lover gave him. "I love you too." he mumbled, feeling a bit foolish by how shy this man could make him feel still.

Harry blinked as he suddenly found himself able to move his hands again, and he immediately placed them on the sides of Marvolo's face. He leaned upward, kissing the man to convey his own emotions.

"Marvolo…" he breathed, but then his eyes widened as he suddenly felt something cold stroking his erection. It cost him all his willpower to not move and buck his hips up, but he managed somehow by occupying his hands with the task of trying to squish the man's shoulders. He made a noise in the back of his throat and his head gave a dull thud as it fell against the man's collarbone. His shaft was explored with deliberately slow, careful movements that made him feel frustration and pleasure alike. Finally, he just gave up. "**Please**." he ground out, feeling the smugness almost radiate through the link.

Feeling momentarily disorientated, he realized that within a second, he'd been flipped over, and that a hand was keeping him there by roughly pressing into his back. Harry hissed as a finger intruded him, for once no time wasted with spells, and it stung more than he'd thought. He winced again as it curved, and this time he felt Marvolo flinch slightly as well. it seemed their mind-link had even more advantages than he'd known of. The digit retreated slowly, and only pushed in when it was adequately covered in a slick substance. As no spells had been said, he was confused for a moment, until he looked back and saw an opened bottle of oil on the bed, next to his leg.

Harry moaned as Marvolo moved within him. He stuck his hips up and spread his legs a bit so the other would be able to plunge in deeper. Clawing at the sheets when his spine was traced lightly with another, oil-covered finger, Harry swore that he'd found a new favourite tool. The slipperiness reminded him of the few times he'd had sex with Marvolo in his Animagus form, only this time it was warmer. Groaning as more oil was poured on his skin and spread out, the boy just sagged down on the bed, not caring about anything else anymore. The finger dug deep in him, soon joined by another, but any remnant of pain was washed away by the feel of the smooth hand that rubbed up and down his back, leaving it shining.

Harry wetted his lips at the same time the fingers retreated. He gasped softly when they were immediately replaced, and despite being prepared, he had to bite the nearest pillow to not cry out as Marvolo pushed in. He forced the link to remain open when he felt that Marvolo was trying to shut it down for his own comfort.

_Oh no, if I have to take it, you will as well._ He thought maliciously, which earned him a weak slap on the back of his head. He finally found air again after breathing in and out deeply a few times. Several long seconds ticked by before he finally dared to move, but when he did, it felt better than anything in a long time. An oily hand reached around his waist, finally paying proper attention to his leaking cock. The aromatic scent mingled with that of their bodies, filling the air with a strong odor that made him dizzy.

Marvolo rolled his hips, pressing himself closer to the teen, taking pleasure in the reactions of his lover. His left hand, which rested on Harry's hip, threatened to lose grip with each push, so he shifted both of them until Harry was on top, breathing heavily, his eyes half-lidded. Patches of his skin gleamed, and Marvolo ran his hand over them as Harry frantically moved up and down, aiming to be penetrated as deeply as possible. The Dark Lord thrusted upwards as he felt his climax building.

He pulled Harry down, holding the teen tightly to his chest and sinking his teeth in the pale skin of Harry's neck. He grabbed Harry's ass with one hand, pushing him down even further until his balls were pressed snugly against the small behind. He released a strangled growl against Harry's neck as his semen spurted inside the hot channel, while Harry was rubbing his own arousal against Marvolo's lower stomach to create more friction. The man took one of the still slick nipples in between his fingers and twisted it slightly, finally sending Harry over the edge too.

They lay in bed for a while after, relishing in the afterglow and not in any mood to get up. After some time though, Harry remembered Ron, who was still waiting for him, and with an unenthusiastic groan, he forced himself to sit upright, making sure his sore bottom didn't touch the bed.

"We should clean up." He reluctantly said. Marvolo merely hummed noncommittally, his eyes still closed. Harry shook his head, smiling and leaning in for a kiss. "Get." kiss "Up." kiss "Or." kiss "We might get run into by a nosy Gryffindor."

"He wouldn't** dare**." Marvolo growled, but despite that, he finally moved as well until he sat on the edge of the bed. They silently dressed and Harry cleaned up the room with a few spells. –After months of living with Marvolo, Harry had become an expert at cleaning charms.- Yawning, Harry pushed the door open and turned around, surprised when Marvolo had let himself fall back on the bed.

"Aren't you coming?"

"I got the impression that you and he had mostly friendly chat to catch up on. I do not think my presence will stimulate the conversation. But don't fret; I will keep the link open. I do have some work still, but it won't be much of a hindrance."

"What sort of work?"

"Barty** finally** sent in all the reports regarding the various creatures he has visited. Until now, he only handed me those concerning the Giants. He is a good man to have in the field, but documentation is not his forte."

"Good luck with that. I'll see you soon then." Harry smiled, and went to search for Ron.

He found his friend not very far away. After having crossed about half the corridor, he could already hear stumbling in one of the rooms, and when he walked in, he saw Ron hopping around on one leg, holding his right feet, a painful expression on his face.

"What are you** doing**?" Harry asked, amused.

"Harry! Good to see you! **Ouch**, Merlin's hairy balls… Why do you have a bathtub that likes to step on people's feet?"

A clanking sound came from the bathroom, and Harry looked at the door with worry. "Sorry. I really wasn't aware of any malicious furniture standing around here. Perhaps it just doesn't like you?"

"Doesn't** like** me? Well I'm sorry, but I didn't think I'd have to make the** bathtub** like me to get clean when coming here!" Ron said, wincing. He sat down on the bed, muttering under his breath while massaging his toes. "it really** is** good to see you though. It's been too long."

"It sure is. How are you? And how's Hermione?" Harry asked, surprised when Ron's face fell.

"I uhm.. was kind of stupid and unsubtle."

"Big surprise there. You didn't confess to her did you?"

Ron gawked at him. "How'd you know?"

Harry buried his head in his hands. "Oh Morgana." he mumbled. "You actually did. What did she say?"

"She slapped me." the other meekly said. "And told me that I should have told her either sooner or later, not while I was leaving. I guess she has a point, but I just… just…"

"Couldn't help yourself?"

"Yeah." Ron sighed. "Other than that, I'm fine. Very glad to be here now. Hogwarts just hasn't been the same. It's turned so** boring** without you there to throw myself into adventure with. You really attract trouble, you know that?"

"So I've been told." Harry grinned. "And now, I think you'd better search for another room, this time** without** evil bathtubs. You can have my old one."

"Your old one?"

"Yeah, the one I slept in the first time I came here. I actually can't really remember if I even used it more than once…"

"Where'd you sleep after?"

Harry threw Ron a 'isn't that obvious' look, but his friend still gave him a blank stare in return.

"In Marvolo's room of course." he muttered, feeling heat go to his cheeks.

"Oh… **Oh**." Ron replied, his look a mixture of dawning understanding and horror. "Oh yes. Hey, you were kidding in your letter were you? About the snogging?"

"Sorry, dead serious." Harry answered. "It** is** our house."

"But Harry… He looks all…" Odd hand movements, as if Ron was trying to imitate a bunch of tentacles on his face, finished his sentence.

"I don't recall him turning into the Giant Squid all of a sudden." was Harry's dry answer. "I happen to like his looks, okay?"

"You are the strangest person ever."

"Wow, I beat Luna?" Harry laughed.

"Alright, maybe not the** strangest**, but you're close!"

* * *

Harry spent the following two days catching up on all the things he'd missed out on with Ron. He finally took up his broom again and they had one-on-one Quidditch with pinecones they had found in the garden and enchanted to whiz around. They had spent nearly all of their time together during the past days, apart from a few hours in which Ron had his first mission.

As he was the only one who the Order didn't know of that was Dark yet, he was sent to Grimmauld place to steal the portrait of Phineas Nigellus. It had bothered Harry that he didn't have any way to communicate with the Sorting Hat and Eldur anymore since he had left Hogwarts. Ron had been lucky enough to find the house empty of all but Sirius and Remus, who had been chatting quietly in the kitchen and had not noticed him. Pitifully, he had not been able to overhear the conversation. He had also almost been seen by Kreacher, but the elf had been so busy 'saving' a pile of old smelly clothes that he'd walked past Ron without noticing the teen. Luckily, Phineas had been in his other portrait. When he **did** pay a visit to his other frame, both Harry and Ron were treated on a colourful wave of curses until Marvolo showed up. The frame now hung in the hall, as demanded by the snarky wizard.

At the moment however, Marvolo had forced Ron to go to the library and catch up to necessary information about the war. Harry, whose time to buying a Christmas present for Marvolo was running out, portkeyed to Diagon Alley, also curious for the Twin's shop. It was exactly what he had expected: Loud, colourful and impossible to miss.

It was as if he stepped into a whirling mass of sound and colours. He could hardly reach any shelves, even when trying to elbow his way through the people, but the walls were so high that he could see most of the ridiculous and funny items that were displayed. A complete pink section with a bunch of giggling girls around it told him to stay far away from at least one part of the shop, but he doubted he could see everything in one go anyways. It was massive in here, a lot bigger on the inside than one would guess when standing in front of it, and even then it was one of the largest shops in Diagon Alley.

He cursed when nearly being ran over by two young children who tried to push their way past him to the 'dangerous toys' section. Mentally cursing them, he stood up straight again and mentally berated himself for forgetting Christmas. As Marvolo apparently didn't celebrate it, he too had not mentioned it, but to Harry it had become important over the years. And so here he was, trying to find a present for his lover the day before Christmas. It was hell.

He finally spotted the twins, who were hanging around the counter, talking to someone while making enthusiastic gestures with their arms. He considered shouting, but rejected that idea immediately. The only way they would hear him here was if he would shout directly into their ears. After minutes of pushing himself through the crowd, he finally reached them, seeing that the man they'd spoken to had disappeared.

"Hey!" he called out, waving his hand, for a moment forgetting that he was in disguise.

"Good day sir, can we be of service?"

Harry laughed when he realized his mistake. "Oh, sorry, it's me, Harry. People out for my life and all…"

"Harry? Blimey, what** have** you done to your hair." Fred said with disapproval, clacking his tongue.

"And since when are you my personal stylist?"

"Since I discovered you have poor taste. What about ginger hair?"

"No thank you." Harry answered dryly.

"Just to make sure… Your third year. What did we give you and how do you use it?" George asked, leaning forward so no-one else could overhear. Harry had to lean in very close to to even hear his words.

"The map. I solemnly swear I'm up to no good."

"Right. So… here for business?"  
"Or just to say hi,"  
"to your amazing, sexy servants?"  
They both swooned at the last line in a way that made Harry wish he was able to instantly die.

"Please don't say it like that." the boy groaned, putting his face in his hands while the Twins burst out in laughter and gave each other a weird handshake.

"And actually, I was hoping you could help me. I didn't really keep track of the date last... months, and only found out now that Christmas is in a few days… I know Marvolo doesn't really celebrate it, but I'd still like to give him a present. Thing is, I have no idea what, or where to get it."

"Brilliant idea to come here Harry!"  
"Hopefully we have just what you need!"

"Ah, actually…" Harry started, wondering how to say this without hurting their feelings. "I don't really think he's one for prank presents?"

"Not even the U-No-Poo?" Fred asked with a shit-eating smile.

Harry quirked an eyebrow. "I thought he made you rename that one?"

"Officially." George said, his teeth flashing in a way that would make the devil jealous.

"Right. No, no constipation products please. I know you're very busy now but…"

"But of course we could make some time! And as He basically owns everything in our shop already, I don't think you'd find a very good gift for him here… I take it he's not much of a jewelry-man?"

'Not really. And I know he likes books, but the library is so huge that I'm afraid that the chance of buying him something he already has is too great to risk."

"I know of a great series actually…" George said, tapping his chin. "Fred, help me, I can't remember all the names of the books… It's Defence against the Dark Arts stuff. Vampires, Werewolves, Yeti's…"  
"Oh yes!" Fred exclaimed, snapping his fingers. "Year with the Yeti, Wandering with Werewolves, Break with a Banshee- **ouch**! Hey!"

"You deserved it." Harry snorted, putting the newspaper with which he'd slapped Fred on the counter again.

"That was incredibly uncalled for." the other pouted.

"But very satisfactory. Now, any **real** ideas?"

* * *

"Are you sure that…" Harry asked for the tenth time.

"**Yes**, the shop will be opportunity for the final test of the Confundus Cloud too. Not that that one will be sold, pitifully. Can too easily be used as a tool in the war. We don't accidentally want unpleasant people to use our inventions against us."

"So, where are we going?"

"Knockturn." Fred said. "Knockturn and beyond."

"Beyond?"

"Of course, you didn't really think the centre of the Wizarding world in London consisted of two shabby streets, did you? Knockturn is only the first street of small district. And if you were to walk through the alley in between Madam Malkin's robes and Flourish and Blott's you'd find yourself in Tom Alley. During the day it's the place to be for expensive dinners and during the night, the wild night life starts there. It's all very expensive and exclusive. Never heard of it?"

"No, actually."

"I suppose that you'll see it more often when the Ministry is taken over by the Dark. Most of the meetings that are discussed over a glass of fine wine are held in Tom Alley."

"Marvolo never mentioned it. I suspect he doesn't like the name. Seriously, what kind of name is 'Tom Alley' anyways?"

Fred looked at George, shrugging, but the other spoke up: "Tomalley is apparently some kind of delicatessen. Lobster paste, if I'm not mistaken."

"Must they really make a pun out of everything?" Harry said, shaking his head. Please tell me that the 'beyond' Knockturn has regular street names."

"No such luck Harry, but don't worry, no more puns, I think."

"That makes me feel so much better. Come on, I only have an hour or two left before a certain someone will send out a search party."

"Make that one and a half then." Fred responded dryly.

"Good idea."

"Now, the general rule in this section is 'look as if you belong here but mind your own business.' With recent developments, I don't really think any rules apply to you anymore, but just to be sure, please follow it."

"Thanks for the advice. Where exactly are we going?"

"Oh, you know…"  
"Some shop."

Their vague statement did nothing to easy his discomfort as they went deeper and deeper into the dodgy parts of Wizarding London. Shadows without anything to cast them appeared on walls, dim lights flickered and the air seemed to be fogged with whispers. He'd rather spent a night in the Shrieking Shack than more than an hour in this forsaken place. The Twins walked over the dark grey, irregular cobblestone path with confidence though, and it was clear that they had been here many times, most likely to buy ingredients of questionable legality. Other than shops, there were also many houses, and Harry really wondered who lived here. Even as a poor wizard or witch, one could easily make their own house with magic, like the Weasleys had done, so why go to such a filthy place?

Suspicious eyes followed them from behind several smudges windows as they passed, and it seemed a night spell had been cast over the whole neighbourhood. He knew it was afternoon, but not a single ray of daylight managed to touch the ground. Finally, they stopped in front of a door that didn't seem very different from the rest, apart from a Latin spell or name that had been carved in the wood and had then rotten half away. He could barely decipher the words 'Venenato Nebula', and though it was another language, he was pretty sure he could guess the meaning correctly.

"Well, when searching a present for the Dark Lord, this really is the only shop I can think of." George told him. "Compared to this, Borgin and Burkes is a cheap joke."

The first thing that made the hairs in his neck rise when they entered it were the mirrors. More than fifty Harry's gazed down on him, some with malicious smirks, some pearly as if they were ghosts, and others showed him from the back, making him fear for the moment they would turn around and face him. Thick chains were wrapped around all of them, but it did nothing to make him feel safe as one of the Harry's suddenly began to cackle and stretched out his hand.

He jumped when he felt another hand, pushing at his lower back. "Ignore the mirrors Harry." Fred mumbled, clearly not very comfortable here either.

"Where is the shop owner?" Harry whispered back, not spotting anyone.

"She'll come. First, let's look around."

Careful to keep a fair distance between him and the items, Harry walked around. George hadn't been kidding. There were no jars of eyeballs here, cursed rings or clattering dentures. Instead, he saw puppets of which the strings shimmered ominously, a massive portrait of a demon god, dark red runes that hung upside-down and instruments that made him think of the ones in Dumbledore's office, but definitely darker. And then there were the mirrors, now also reflecting Fred and George, observing the three of them. Quills that would slowly poison the user until it was too late, a bunch of very familiar black candles that Harry recalled seeing in the attic, flasks of potions without labels and several masks that reminded him of the one Stryker had shown him.

"What can I help you with?" a soft voice said, and Harry turned around, seeing a young woman who stood out because of how… ordinary she looked in the environment. Plain robes, a pretty face and half-long, brown waving hair. Still, he knew how deceiving looks could be, and the glint in her eyes told of malice. She reminded him strangely of when he had met Tom Riddle in the Chamber.

"I'm searching for a… a present." he said, feeling pretty foolish when looking around.

"A present?" she asked, a mocking smile on her lips. "For friend or enemy?"

"Friend." he said, and she looked surprised. He couldn't blame her. This shop didn't seem like the first place to browse for gifts. "The Dark Lord." he said, before she could tell him to go someplace else.

She merely hummed and turned around. "Follow me. He has been here before quite some times, and whatever he thought interesting that stood here, he already has. I do have some new trinkets that he would like to have, I think."

"He came here before?" Harry asked, wondering when Marvolo had been away.

"Yes, many years ago." she mumbled, and Harry realized she was talking about before his death.

"Wait, then how old-" he was cut off by a poke in the ribs from George.

"Never ask a lady her age Harry. It's terribly impolite."  
"Especially as said lady could kill you with ninety percent of the stuff she owns." Fred continued.

They entered a smaller room through a door that seemed to be made of thick black hair. The room was practically bare, apart from a table, a few chairs, and three small chests. It didn't look as eerie as the rest of the building though. The walls were a warm earthen colour and it smelled of leaves and wood. The only disturbing thing he could find was a spidery stone hand that looked like it grew out of the wall.

"Do you have any idea what you are searching for?" she asked, ad Harry shook his head.

"Not really. I'd planned on just looking around and seeing if I found something interesting…"

She walked around the table to the left chest, which had silver strands all over it, much like as if someone had carefully draped a cobweb over it, and opened the elegantly decorated lid. "Something interesting hmm?" Her face shone red, as if something in the chest lit it up. "I got my hands on this not very long ago. While it is not very dark…" she looked up with a toothy grin. "I'm sure he'll love it. It will cost you more than just a large sum of gold though."

What she took from the chest made Harry's eyes widen.

"Perfect." he said, and the Twins looked at each other with confusion.

"I thought you said no jewelry?"

Harry turned around with a growing smile. "There is an exception to everything."

* * *

The Twins side-apparated him to just in front of the heavy iron gates that separated the grounds of Marvolo's manor from the village. It was strange to peer through the bars and see nothing but a vast area of yellowed grass, knowing that the moment he stepped though, the majestic manor would appear, as well as the wild garden that the house-elves ruled over. He understood their love for gardening. While many did not want to be free, gardening was the only thing they could express themselves in, much like Harry had done when he was at the Dursley's, and he hadn't even been given the choice of what to do with it. The pond that looked like it could belong in an untouched forest, old weeping willows around it, showed him the House-elves deeper instincts to be just as wild and untouchable, despite their common eagerness to serve.

The wards recognised them and with a tingling feeling, as if someone had stroked his spine with a nail –a feeling he knew quite well-, and with something akin to the sound of a deep sigh, the gates opened for them. It suddenly began to drizzle, the raindrops becoming more frequent with each passing second. They hurried towards the door, splashing through the quickly-forming mud and up the marble steps –something Harry had always thought of as looking out of place among the wood and natural grey stone the rest of the manor was made of.-

They burst through the oak doors and one of the Twins was quick to cast drying and warming charms over all of them before they slowly made their way towards the small dining room, where Ron was already seated, enjoying a meal. Harry's stomach grumbled and he quickly sat down, also summoning a plate and some food.

"Well well, who do we have here?" one of the two said with a shit-eating grin. Ron glared at his brother, threateningly waving his wand.

"More of that and I'll hex your balls off. I can use magic out of school now."

"Awww, can our baby brother-"  
"Finally use all his-"  
"minor, harmless spells out of school?"  
"We're so scared."

"Fred, George, enough." A soft voice spoke, and they both whirled around, facing the Dark Lord who was leaning against the doorpost, his arms folded. They both bowed in respect, though the effect wasn't quite as large as with the other Death Eaters, as both parties knew that the Twins were needed more by the Dark Lord than they needed him.

Ron took in their appearance with grudgingly given admiration. Their jackets and boots were obviously real dragon hide, and the stylish shirts, jeans and jewelry almost screamed 'new and expensive'. Despite what their mum had said about their joke shop, she'd clearly been wrong. They'd always had had their own style, but they'd never looked this... flashy, as if they were bloody models.

"So." George finally said, swirling around to face Ron again and giving him a critical one-over. "I take it you haven't been waiting here, spending hours devoting to your favourite past-time activity, just to say hi to us?"

"I actually currently live here." Their brother said, annoyed. "And I've only just started dinner."

"Temporarily." The Dark Lord added in a threatening, displeased tone, and Ron shrank back a bit. "As long as you really have nowhere else to go."

The Twins both frowned and looked at each other before turning to their Lord.

"We completely understand that he's annoying to be around…" one started, ignoring Ron's protest.  
"But he's still our brother…"  
"And we **do** have a home."  
"Plus, we need a shop assistant anyways."  
"That way he can do something useful as well…"  
"Unless you have other plans with him,"  
"My Lord?"

"Other than that you are frying my brain again, what you said is sensible. I would appreciate it if he could move to your place. However, if I notice that your work is suffering from it, he shall have to either move back or someplace else. And also, I will give him missions even when he's staying with you, so don't count on having a shop assistant available at all times." The man moved towards the table and sat down on his usual chair, waving his hand to summon a glass of wine. His gaze languidly travelled from the one to the other while he sipped from the drink.

"Hey, don't I get a say in-"

"Be quiet when the big people talk Ronniekins." George interrupted him. "And I assure you, My Lord, that you do not have to worry about our inventions. We are currently ahead on schedule, and even when we were still living at home, we were able to work. I doubt Ron will be a problem. Who knows, perhaps he might even learn a thing or two."

Ron gaped at his brother. "Learn?" he finally stammered. "You mean… you actually want to teach me?" He was stunned. Fred and George just** didn't** share their plans, with** anyone**. He wondered what had made them change their minds. That is, if this wasn't just a hoax, but with the Dark Lord in the room, he didn't think they'd dare to pull a stunt on anyone.

"If you don't want to…"

He shook his head vigorously. "Are you crazy? I've wanted that for** years**. You just always told me off… or pranked me."

"Your own fault. You always screamed so** deliciously**,"  
"when you found a spider in your bed again…"

Ron cringed minimally at their creepy smiles, wondering why he had ever thought they were Light. They had fooled everyone. He hoped he would be just as good at fooling them. He did not want to face his mother. Unluckily, he had to do so soon… Unless he could find a good excuse for not spending the holidays at home. Now he thought of it… perhaps his brothers would be willing to be that excuse. His mum currently thought that he was spending a few days at Dean's place, but he would be expected to show up for Christmas and New Year.

"So… I could move in with you?" he asked, still not quite able to believe it.

"If you promise not to be as slow as you currently are?"  
"Then yes, we'd love to welcome you,"  
"To our joke paradise!"

* * *

_**Rapida Laboro Malforta Mikrobo Gripo:**_ Esperanto for 'quickly working weak influenza microbes.' I have no clue if the grammar is correct. Anyone here who knows Esperanto?  
_**Ignis Vena:** _Latin for_ '_Fire Vein'.  
**_Venenato Nebula_**: Latin for Poison Mist or Poisoned mist -again, sorry if the grammar is incorrect-

Read and Review!  
xx GeMerope


	30. Part II Chapter V

"I know that traditionally, I would have to give you your gift this evening, but seeing as how we're going to the Yule Ball this evening I thought you already might want to have it?" Harry said, shuffling his feet awkwardly.

Marvolo looked at his young lover, who had been restless all day already. Not that 'all day' had been **that** long, since they'd only gotten up at twelve, and it was two 'o clock right now. He had absolutely loved Harry's expression when coming downstairs and finding the whole dining room decorated with pine and magical ice. Marvolo had even gone so far as to ignore the shitty English weather and had made sure it was snowing heavily in the garden. He would have expanded it so it wasn't only within the wards of his own home, but such a local heavy snowfall would surely be noticed. He would go far to make sure Harry would get a happy Yule celebration, but he wasn't planning on giving away his address to his enemies.

To be honest, while he'd never cared much for Yule, and certainly not for the half-Muggle 'Christmas' it had become, today made him feel... content. He wouldn't go so far as to call it 'happy', but he was certainly **pleased**. The feeling only increased whenever he saw Harry's joyous smile and eyes.

"Of course love." he answered. "Let me get my gift for you as well."

Harry sat down on the edge of the bed, nervously turning the small parcel over and over in his hands. The moss green paper became even more crumpled, but he didn't really care. The boy licked his lips nervously, wondering what his lover would think of the object. Even though he'd thought it perfect when he'd first laid eyes on it, he was now doubting that. After all, while it was a reminder, it was not exactly of the happiest memory in Marvolo's life. On the other hand, it** was** a nice symbolism for the purpose he'd bought it for, and also… it was a reminder of when they had first met face to face, if you didn't count the time Harry had still been a baby.

"Please accept my gift." Marvolo softly said, handing Harry a square parcel.

"A book?" Harry asked, after feeling its heavy weight in his hand. A raised eyebrow was his only reply, so he carefully tore the paper. His eyes grew wide, and an excited look appeared on his face. "_From Queerditch Marsher to the world_?"

"I know the pages of your _Quidditch through the Ages_ are worn and stained from all the times you read it. This is a less popular, but much more professional book. I thought that, should you really want to pursue a career in that blasted dangerous sports, you at least ought to know all about it."

Marvolo had hardly finished his sentence before he found his arms full of Harry, who'd flung himself at the man, hugging him tightly. "Quidditch!" He exclaimed. "Thank you, thank you! I've been searching for another Quidditch book for so long, but Hogwarts library didn't have another one!"

"I'm really glad that you like it." Marvolo smiled, kissing Harry lightly.

"And now yours!" the boy beamed, pressing the small gift in Marvolo's hands.

He undid the wrapping with a flick of his index finger, after which he folded it open. With disbelieving eyes, he looked at the object in his hands, carefully caressing the metal shapes with his fingertips. The blood-red ring in the middle made him draw in his breath shakily. "I thought it was destroyed?"

"Apparently, Flamel didn't quite agree. It was his life's work, and he didn't want to see it destroyed. He changed its properties slightly though, so it doesn't work anymore, but he could not turn it into dust. I thought you might want a reminder."

"I take it Dumbledore chose the rest?" Marvolo asked, following the metal lines with his eyes.

"I don't know. Most likely. I** do** know that shortly after Flamel's death, Dumbledore found that it hadn't been left to him, but to a friend of the man, who didn't have any use for it and sold it. I don't think he even knew what it was that he'd been given…"

"Fortunate for me." The Dark Lord whispered, his eyes even redder when reflecting the bright stone. "A pity that it can't be used anymore, but then again, I have my Horcruxes now." He gave Harry a knowing look. "And perhaps soon one more?"

The boy smiled. "I know you were thinking of making Nagini a vessel but… you have no idea what effect it could have on her."

"Thank you." Marvolo said, crossing the distance between them and hugging Harry with one arm, his hand closed in a fist around the moderately sized metal triangle. "It's ironic though… Three times immortality in one."

"Well, then you don't only have seven, but also another magical number to finish it with."'

"Have you been studying Arithmacy?" the man asked, amused.

"Nah, Hermione always kept bugging Ron and me about it." Harry laughed. "I was bound to pick up the essentials eventually."

"It's a very useful subject."

"According to you, **everything** is a useful subject."

"Except for Muggle studies." Marvolo snorted.

"I stand corrected." Harry laughed. "Though actually, **I** think that** that** is useful. Especially as we are going to try to mix our worlds. Muggle technology is horribly confusing for most wizards. Speaking of which, how did Lucius fare with his study of the combination of technology and magic? During the lessons with him, I never have time to ask him about it before he goes all drill-sergeant on me"

"He has started to experiment with it, and from what I've heard, was quite successful." the man answered, but his voice had a faraway tone to it, and his fingers were still caressing the gift. Harry had to admit that it wasn't only useful; it was also a real piece of craftsmanship. The metal seamlessly formed the sign of the Hallows, and a thin ring that had been carved out of the philosopher's stone had been inlaid in the metal circle. "It will make a good vessel for my final Horcrux." Marvolo muttered.

The teen hummed and rubbed his face against his lover's robes. "So you've really decided to make it then?"

"I'm going to take the risk, yes. I need to be at my strongest to win against both the Ministry and the Order."

"I still think it's strange that neither of them have openly reacted on you showing that I was at your side."

"I doubt that Fudge has a clue as to what he has to do, and he can't go to Dumbledore with this either. Dumbledore on his side… well, I have no idea what's going on in that man's head. Ronald told me that he didn't even approach Hermione and him afterwards, even though they had expected him to. The silence is getting on my nerves though. Look at what we achieved after coming out in the open. Slughorn is branded, we went to Nurmengard, finally had a meeting with a large group of Muggles, helped Ronald get out of the castle, and those are just a few examples. Who knows what the Order has done in that same time?"

"Doesn't Snape know more about it?"

"Severus hasn't been let into the meetings anymore. Dumbledore knows that he prefers the Dark, and that he swore himself to you instead of to him. He didn't put it like that, of course, but Severus knows it's why he's been denied sitting in at the meetings. I currently can't use him as a spy anymore."

"Where is he now, then?"

"Still at Hogwarts, brewing several potions I asked him to prepare. Wolfsbane mostly, but also polyjuice, pepper-up, several poisons, blood-replenishing and other useful potions."

"When do you think Fudge or Dumbledore will make a move?"

"After the Yule, for sure. Although… there is a high chance that the Minister has been invited at Lucius' as well, so I suppose we will see him this evening. It's ironic… the first time he'll see me is also the last that he'll see me in **this** form. My appearance is bound to change after making another Horcrux."

"Are you planning on doing it soon then?"

"As I said before, I need to be at the height of my power. Procrastinating is of no use. I'd rather get it over and done with, before **they** strike and I will have no time for it anymore."

* * *

"Merry Christmas"

"Ronniekins!" The Twins shouted, bouncing into his room. Ron groaned and pulled the covers further over his head.

"Lemme sleep." he muttered.

"Noooo, we can't have that!"  
"Shop to run!"

"It's **Christmas**!" an incredulous Ron said.

"That doesn't mean that we can close today." Fred frowned. "There are people who like to do family shopping on Christmas."  
"Beats me who, but there are always those few nutters."  
"We can celebrate our own Christmas,"  
"This evening."  
"And grant mum the opportunity to finally fuss over us again."  
"**So **looking forward to that." They finished, their expression one as if they were thinking of the most torturous methods their mother could use.

"What do you mean, mum? I mean… she doesn't know you joined the Dark Lord, but… you disappeared at the same day as Harry did, didn't you? They suspect, at least. Especially because a lot of stuff the Death Eaters use can't have been invented by anyone but you two… That firework is practically your trade-mark and mum knows it."

"And you really think she will tell Dumbledore? At Christmas? You should know her better than that Ronnie."George answered, sitting down on the bed to ruffle his brother's hair. "It's true that they suspect us of having ties to the Dark, but we haven't exactly done much to deny that either. We're not ashamed or secretive of having joined the dark. They will have to learn to accept that. Now, get up, there's loads of work to do."

"Do you think… do you think I could tell mum too?" Ron hesitantly asked. "She'll be madder at me than you, for not finishing my education, I know, but I still like to think that she would at least recognise my reasoning."

"Ohh, George, he has a brilliant idea there! He can serve as a decoy for us! Lead away mum's negative attention! Go for it Ron!"

"That is** not** what I meant." the teen glared. He finally resented though, and threw away the blankets, ignoring the Twins, who abruptly put their hands in front of them and turned their heads away, Fred even making noises as if he was throwing up. "Oh, I'm so** blessed** with brothers like you." Ron grumbled, changing clothes. "No wonder you don't have girlfriends if you can't even stand seeing your family naked."

Both of them stared at him for a while and suddenly burst out in laughter.

"What's so funny?" Ron asked angrily, still annoyed that he had to work at the day before Christmas eve.

"Oh Ronniekins, you can be so dense." George said. "Watch. I won't be able to put it any clearer."

Confused, Ron watched as George turned to Fred and roughly grasped the other's hair. "What are you-" he started, but he failed to produce any further sound as Fred's back slammed into the wall because George harshly shoved him against it, only to proceed kissing the hell out of his brother. A few minutes of rather heavy snogging later, they finally released each other, panting.

Ron let himself slump back on the bed. "Bloody hell… And here I thought my life couldn't become any worse after seeing You-Know-Who shag Harry on the dinner table."

"Shagging? You actually saw them** shagging**?" Fred exclaimed with a disturbing amount of excitement.  
"Can you give us that memory,"  
"As blackmail?"

"You two are insane." Ron muttered.

"Pleeeeease?" They both begged with wide eyes.  
"Or else we won't stop begging,"  
"And rambling"  
"until you give in!"

"If you two had been born without a mouth, the world would be such a better place." Ron grumbled.

"It would also be a much better place if you had been born without a stomach,"  
"but you don't hear us constantly complaining,"  
"about you eating the world's riches away."

"Oh shut up and let's get started with work."

* * *

With a blank face that showed none of his feelings, Lucius shook the Minister's hand, slightly disgusted at the man, who was blabbering on as always. He** almost** couldn't wait for his Lord to arrive, so the fool would be shocked into silence. Almost. Having a Dark Lord amongst your guests also brought quite a few complications with it. Strangely enough, he actually looked forward to seeing Potter again. His relationship with the boy had changed drastically. At first, he'd thought the Dark Lord crazy for seducing Potter, and there had even been moments where he doubted the influence the teen had was good, but gradually, it had changed for the better.

He'd always been too reserved to ask Potter what exactly had changed, but it was clear that something **had**. When he'd first arrived, he'd been ever the Gryffindor, but when bringing Potter to the Order's Headquarters, he had seen another side of the boy, a cold side, that had never left the boy again afterwards. Lucius decided that he liked the new Harry Potter. He trained hard and wasn't at all like his parents, like many would say. It had come to a surprise to the both of them that they actually got along. Lucius still hadn't forgotten the freeing of Dobby, and neither had Potter forgotten that Lucius had tried to kill him for that, but the conversations they'd had to fill in the silence when trying to avoid those subjects had been pleasant, and from Potter's side amazingly insightful.

They saw each other quite often now, as he taught the boy everything he needed to know about etiquette and pureblood history. That wasn't to say Potter** enjoyed** the lessons. Lucius had caught him staring blankly at a wall far too often, but there were lessons where he really had the feeling that Potter grasped the basic concepts of what he was trying to teach him.

A nervous tapping of two fingers against his thigh was the only sign of impatience he showed as the man before him went on and on about the latest gossip and followed with a heroic story about how he had supposedly saved a boy from a dark wizard once with nothing but the tickling hex. It was even more boring than the last School Board meeting, where it had taken three hours to discuss whether or not teachers were allowed to take off or add more than one-hundred and twenty-five points to a single student for a single act.

He excused himself from the conversation when he spotted Narcissa, and he felt proud when looking at his wife, who was watching the guests with very well-concealed iciness. She looked absolutely stunning, but the only time her smile reached her eyes was when they met his. He sympathized with her. **He** didn't need to deal with women like Mrs Parkinson or Mrs Goyle. Lady Zabini, one of the few who could match Narcissa in wit and cunning, hadn't arrived yet, and neither had Abigayle, her closest friend.

The room was still pretty full already, and Lucius was glad that they had also ordered their house-elf to adorn the garden. Lucius briefly wondered where Draco had gone off to, before he spotted his son together with his friends near the table with beverages. He thought it was a shame that Draco had never been able to get along with Potter, even after the other had joined the Dark and risen up in the ranks. Their mutual dislike ran too deep, having grown over the years, and while they were able to put their differences aside for the sake of a mutual goal, they would never be closer than acquaintances who didn't like each other.

He let his eyes wander around, inspecting the stylish, elegant decorations, until he suddenly noticed that the room froze, and even without his mark heating up momentarily, it was clear that his main guest had arrived.

XxX

Harry had very much looked forward to this moment, and the brilliant looks they got as he coldly let his eyes travel over all the unknown faces didn't disappoint him in the least. It was the first time he'd made a public appearance as himself for a long,** long** time, and while he had always tried to avoid attention, it felt good now he knew it was **him** they were looking at, someone of whom they all knew that he had taken his own decisions. Never again would he be their Saviour, no matter how convincing people would try to be.

His gaze fell on the Minister of Magic, and his grin widened. Fudge looked at the both of them as if he had turned into a fish. His mouth hung agape and his eyes nearly fell out of their sockets as he looked at Marvolo.

_This will be interesting_ Harry remarked, gleeful.

_Indeed it will be… It is a shame that Lucius will still have to hold up __**some**__ pretense around Fudge._

Harry noticed Lucius, who indeed had maintained an absolute poker face, an expression the man had perfected through his years of political maneuvering. He actually didn't really think that Lucius really welcomed Marvolo into his home, but he also knew that his lover couldn't care less about his follower's opinion of him, even if that follower had been his right hand for years. Harry's vision of Marvolo's private life before he'd gotten to know the man however, hadn't turned out to be quite correct either. While Marvolo kept saying that 'Dark Lord's don't have friends', that apparently didn't count if said friends were not human. Over the months, there had been a few regular visitors who certainly treated Marvolo different than one would a master or an ally.

It was a shame that he didn't really know anyone here apart from Marvolo and the Malfoy family. Well, he did spot a few of Draco's Slytherin friends over at the snack table, but after hating them and being hated by them for several years, he didn't feel like suddenly becoming the best of friends with them. He supposed he would have to try and get to know a few other people here, while listening in on more interesting conversations through Marvolo. He thought that he would get a major headache If he was forced to speak to Fudge himself.

Speaking of annoying people… he** did** spot a certain potion master… Slughorn looked slightly better than he had a few days ago, and had clearly done his best to find his best robes to wear. Harry felt a bit out of place in the simple green robes he wore, the same dress robes as Molly had bought for him –using his own money- to wear at the Yule ball last year. Not that he had wanted to be found dead in the robes that the majority of the male attendants here wore. While neon colours were rare, cuffs and ruffles seemed to be in fashion, to his horror, as were extravagant hats and knee-high boots.

He pretended not to notice the whispers and stares as he walked forwards as if he knew where he was going. Deciding that he wasn't in the mood for Slughorn, he went the other way. Just as he nearly reached a wall without having found someone who captured his interest, and threatened to make a fool of himself, an old woman appeared out of nowhere.

"Harry Potter! Such a pleasure to finally meet you! I have been itching to speak to you ever since it was confirmed that you chose the right path!" Harry blinked, speechless for a second until he remembered all the etiquette lessons Lucius had stamped in his head. He took the offered hand and pressed a chaste kiss to the wrinkled skin. "Ah, such a charming young man you are." the woman said, approving. "My name is Cysty Yaxley. I believe you have met my son?"

"I do not know him well, madam, but I am sure you must be proud of him." Harry smoothly answered. "He has achieved much."

A small smile told him the compliment had been accepted. She started talking about her family and past, but while Harry would have politely excused himself in any other situation, her ramblings were actually very interesting to listen to. Other old witches and wizards he'd met were very light and their school mischief was about the most interesting thing they had to tell, but Mrs Yaxley had travelled the world in search of the darkest of magic. Harry listened to her with rapture, though he never ceased to be aware of his surroundings and the fair number of people listening in on the conversation with poorly hidden curiousity.

"And then I met Cissy! Well, I suppose you know her as Mrs Malfoy. Such a young thing… shame that she broke off her Healer studies to dedicate herself to motherhood, but it seemed that she was happier with that."

"Excuse me… did you say 'Healer'?" Harry interrupted.

"Oh yes! Cissy was always gifted in healing people. But as I said, she never finished her studies after Hogwarts in favour of marrying Lucius and raising their child."

"Do you think…" he began, but then noticed all the eyes on them, and he discreetly signaled to Mrs Yaxley to go someplace more private. She nodded and they both crossed the room and went outdoors, but not before Harry locked eyes with Marvolo for a few long seconds. The link flooded open, and Harry silently asked for it to stay that way, on which he got a nod in return before his lover turned to his conversation partner again, an old wizard Harry didn't recognise.

"You wanted to say something dearie?" Mrs Yaxley asked him after they both sat down on an elegant, white bench that was carefully hidden in between several bushes. It was clear that the woman came her often, for he would never have found the spot himself.

"Yes… I am in need of a therapist. Not a usual Healer skill, but do you think that Mrs Malfoy might… I don't know her all that well, even though I'm quite close to Lucius, but I don't want a complete stranger to poke in my mind, if you know what I mean." he said, hesitant. The face of the woman softened, and she smiled.

"I think she can help you. As I said, she is very gifted. I could ask her for you…?"

"Ah, that won't be necessary." Harry said, giving her his most charming smile. –and damn, was he getting good at this- "I will ask her myself. I merely needed to know if she could be of assistance to me."

_I didn't know she started a Healer study._ Marvolo butted in.

_Well, guess the omniscient Dark Lord can't know everything_. Harry replied with jest, biting his lip when receiving a mental slap. The gesture seemed to be misunderstood by Mrs Yaxley, who was unaware of a third person entering the conversation.

"Harry dear, don't give me that look. Whatever is wrong with you, it'll all be fine."

"Thank you." he mumbled.

"No worries dearie." She smiled. "Now, I-" She broke off her sentence as Harry abruptly raised his hand, his head tipped slightly to the left and eyes seemingly staring into nothing. Nothing happened for several seconds, in which Cysty looked from left to right to find the reason why Harry had interrupted her. The silence dragged out as Harry kept his hand raised, waiting intently. Cysty kept quiet, but the wrinkles in her face deepened as she frowned.

Harry, who realized that to her, it must look as if he had broken her off for no apparent reason, said in apology: "I'm sorry Mrs Yaxley. It was not my intention to offend you. I hope this can stay between the two of us, but I can hear the Dark Lord's thoughts." He realized that it was probably confidential information, but he did not want to lose this new bond he'd formed with a, while not very powerful, influential witch. "He is currently being approached by the Minister of Magic, and that is a conversation I do not want to miss."

"You…" she stammered, losing her calm posture for an instant before she managed to compose herself. "Does he know?"

"Of course." Harry muttered absentmindedly, trying to follow Marvolo's thoughts and emotions as Fudge finally spoke to the man. "He can do the same. If you don't mind… I want to try something, but it will cause me to either fall in a trance, or, in the worst case, to fall unconscious. Could you watch over my body?"

She nodded curtly, her face serious. "I would be honoured."

_Harry, pay attention. _Marvolo told him, and Harry quickly sat down on the grass in case he would fall over.

_I'm going to watch through your eyes_. He replied, and he closed his eyes, deepening his breath as he concentrated on the link. The rest of the world became hazy, as if it only existed in a dream, and he felt the strangest sensation in his stomach, like a slow, much more gentle version of Portkeying. When he opened his eyes again, he knew they were no longer green. It was very strange, being in the body of someone else. He had experienced this a few times now, but he never got used to Marvolo's strange way of seeing and feeling the world. Also the feeling as if he himself was nothing but a dream, not able to control anything that happened, was not something he would ever** like**.

Marvolo was currently looking down at Fudge, who was clearly terrified, but too much under pressure from the bystanders to back off as he would have liked. It took Harry a moment to realize that Fudge was speaking. Marvolo's ears registered the human voice significantly different, although it was hard for Harry to point out the exact difference. He could describe it best as a low humming sound that resonated underneath the voice, occasionally lashing out. Marvolo had explained to him that he heard people's emotions as they spoke, which was why he could tell so often whether or not someone was lying, and he could use the same ability to increase the control his own voice had over others.

Under Fudge's voice, there was a constantly trembling low tone, which made it hard for Harry, who wasn't use to hearing it, to understand the man, but once he was able to concentrate on the upper voice, he slowly got used to it and the tone faded into the background.

"- Was actually working on an invitation to you." The man squeaked.

"An invitation for** what**, exactly?" Marvolo cut in, and Harry was not surprised when the tone beneath the Dark Lord's voice was a single, high piercing note, like a string of glass or ice.

"A meeting." Fudge answered, nervously spinning his bowler around in his sweaty hands. "To see what we can work out… compromises that can be made…"

"Compromises?" Marvolo asked on a soft, dark tone. "I stated my demands, what I want to happen to the Wizarding world. I am a man of my word, and will not placate the people who I represent with **compromises**. You can either implement the necessary changes yourself, which I doubt will happen, or you can give up your place to someone more capable."

"Those aren't the only options I have." Fudge snapped, his magic visibly flaring red for a moment before becoming a faint yellow as his own words sank in, and he visibly shrank under the cool gaze of the man before him. "I… I didn't mean to imply… I"

"Silence." Marvolo breathed, his magic coiling around him like a stormy cloud. "There will be no meeting before you are certain where you stand. I know what you are doing, **Minister**. You are trying to procrastinate your decision by keeping both me and Dumbledore at an arm's length. It will not work for me, and though I hate him, I can tell you that the old man is too smart for that weak strategy as well. I have nothing more to say to you."

"Now listen here, Sir, I am still the Minister of-"

"You will me address with** Lord** or not at all." Marvolo said, his hand moving towards his wand.

Fudge hesitated, opened his mouth and closed it again, before pulling off the greatest act of bravery Harry would ever see him do. He walked away without a word.

And Harry knew that it would cost the man dearly.

With a last soft caress to Marvolo's mind, he retreated, gasping as he returned to his own body with a feeling as if a brick had been dropped on his stomach, and he was disappointed with the mundane sounds and colours he heard and saw. Even the feel of things was different, he mused as he stroked the grass with his fingers. Less harsh. Marvolo would never admit to it aloud, but his skin was extremely sensitive, hence why he preferred to wear silk or other smooth and soft materials. Strangely enough, he did prefer to walk bare-foot, even though he currently wore deerskin boots, completely ignoring every fashion trend ever in the Wizarding world…

"Good to have you back dearie." Mrs Yaxley softly said, after Harry shook his head and rapidly blinked a few times to get used to his own body again.

"Thank you. I'm glad someone appreciates my presence."

"Oh, I'm sure there are a lot of young ladies who would appreciate you." The woman grinned, winking at him. Harry blushed fiercely at the implication, and nervously cleared his throat.

"I am afraid that I would severely disappoint said ladies. I have a rather possessive lover."

"You do?" Mrs Yaxley asked, clearly delighted.

Harry really wondered why she wasn't aware of his relationship with Marvolo. He'd thought that by now, the news would have circulated around the whole Dark side. Mrs Yaxley's son had been at** that** meeting after all, where Harry had been visibly snogged in front of pretty much everyone. He supposed the Death Eaters were even more discreet than he'd thought. Now he thought of it… Draco hadn't known before Harry had told the boy either.

"Perhaps one day I'll introduce you to him." He muttered, thinking that she might die of happiness if he personally introduced her to her hero.

"Him…? Ah. I see." She spoke, processing this new information.

"I'm sorry, I really think I'll go inside and find Mrs Malfoy…" Harry quickly said, before the conversation would turn completely to his love-life. "It was lovely speaking to you Madam."

"Oh, call my Cysty." She smiled, with that trade-mark grandmother face of hers. "All my friends do."

Harry smiled brightly. "I'd say 'call me Harry', but you already do." He joked.

"Oh shush." The woman scolded. "I am old, I'm allowed to."

"Not **that** old." He winked.

"Charmer." She answered, flicking imaginary hair over her shoulder. "Now, back inside with you."

"Aren't you coming?"

"No, I have socialized enough for this evening. I will make a silent retreat soon, but first I'm going to enjoy the cool evening air some more."

"Good night then. I hope to speak to you soon again."

"The pleasure was all mine, Harry."

With a last wave, he went back inside to search for Narcissa Malfoy. He spotted her fairly easy. As hostess of the ball, she was supervising everyone instead of mingling with the crowd. He used the shadows of the pillars to approach her without being noticed by curious guests, and tapped her shoulder. She gasped slightly and turned around, her beautiful face wearing a startled look. "Mr Potter!" she said.

"Good evening Mrs Malfoy." He politely said, bowing slightly and pressing a kiss to her knuckles.

"Ah, I see my husband has taught you some necessary improvements?" she asked, one of her eyebrows raising slightly. "Lucius seems to hold you in high regard now."

"Can't be **that** high." Harry impishly said. "He still whacks me with the tip of his cane whenever I don't sit at the correct angle."

"Oh, that man." She sighed. "But I take it you are not here for a casual chat?"

"No, actually… I know that you can't actually go somewhere more private as you have to watch the guests, but would it be alright if I put up a silencing barrier?"

"No trouble at all." She replied, drawing her wand and casting a ward before Harry had the chance to. At his surprised look, she said: "This is the only way to ensure complete privacy Mr Potter. The Malfoy wards interrupt with privacy charms cast by anyone who does not bear the name Malfoy."

"Good to know." He answered, glad that he had went outside when talking to Cysty. "Very well then. Forgive me for being bold, but I would like to ask for a favour. Mrs Yaxley told me you are good at Healing…"

"I never received a certificate as I broke off my studies right before the final tests… Can you not go to St Mungo's?" she hesitantly said.

"I don't… I don't want a stranger to know of all my problems. And while I don't know you very well either, I do** know** you. Madame Pomfrey already checked me, and while I am physically healthy, I am in need of a therapist, and she could not help me with that…"

"Ah, in that case, I would be more than glad to aid you, Mr Potter." She smiled. "Shall we discuss additional details later?"

"Yes. Thank you so much." He said, relieved. "I had no idea who else to turn to, and when Cysty recommended you…"

"Cysty hmm? Be careful Mr Potter, to not get too familiar with everyone you meet so quickly. Cysty is an exception, but more than half of the people in this room would try to pick you apart and use you."

"Thank you for your advice Mrs Malfoy… I'll keep it in mind."

"Well then… for when do you wish to schedule our first appointment?"

"Coming days won't be possible… how about the weekend? This Saturday? Sunday?"

"Preferable not on Saturdays, but I am available Sunday morning. Could you come here?"

"That's perfect. Thank you so much."

She smiled at him again. "I'm always happy to help people, especially if they're family."

Harry blinked. "Family?"

"The Potters are related to the Blacks…" she said. "And furthermore, your godfather, though he has been kicked out by his own mother, is still my cousin."

"I forgot." Harry whispered.

"Perhaps you should study your family tree Mr Potter. It is always good to know who is related to whom, especially now you are part of the Pureblood society."

"But I'm not! Not really…"

"You being here sends everyone in this room a message Mr Potter… That you are ready to stand up for yourself in this harsh world, and don't want to hide yourself any longer. If you did not want to be a part of this society, you should have stayed home." Her voice turned cold, and Harry realized that with this careless words, he had implied that he did not** want** to be a part of this world. Of **her** world.

"I'm sorry." He hastened to say. "I spoke carelessly. I meant that I was not aware that I had been accepted here yet."

"Ah, I see." She answered, significantly warmer. "I'm sorry for my assumption. I am not used to conversing with someone who is unfamiliar with… well, with this."

Harry opened his mouth to reply, but then his instincts kicked in. He didn't really know **how** it happened, oreven** what** happened. He only knew that one moment, he'd been talking to Narcissa, and next thing he knew, he reacted instinctively on a sudden mental warning on Marvolo's side. He whipped his wand out, only to look into the astonished face of his godfather, who seemed to have appeared out of thin air, although Harry knew that it was likely that the man had breached the wards and hid under the tables in his Animagus Form. Sirius's throat bobbed visibly as he swallowed against the tip of the wand that was still pressed against his throat.

"Harry." the man rasped out, looking at the teen with the odd mixture of fear and pity. "You really have changed a lot since I last saw you. Reacting instantly with violence on every moment now?"

"No… No I haven't changed." Harry whispered, retreating his wand, even though he did not completely put it away. "But you wished to forget."

"I don't understand." Sirius commented, confused, causing Harry to sigh deeply.

"You wouldn't."

"Black." a cold voice cut through the silence that followed, and Sirius whipped around to glare at the Dark Lord.

"Voldemort. Still as hideous as ever, I see."

"I am getting unpleasant déjà vu feelings. Please do everyone a favour and don't open your mouth." Marvolo icily retorted, but despite his words, he put up a new silencing ward so the curious and frightened onlookers couldn't follow what was being said. Harry vaguely recalled the other one breaking, most likely because of Sirius. "So, Dumbledore is finally sending his minions out?" Marvolo asked, raising an elegant eyebrow.

"Your Death Eaters may be minions, but in the Order, we refer to each other as** friends**." Sirius bit.

"I'm sure that our dear headmaster thinks of it **exactly **like that." Marvolo replied sarcastically, his upper lip curling into a sneer that reminded Harry a tad too much of Snape.

_Sorry dear, but he's just so__** ignorant**__ of everything Dumbledore does._

_I know, Marvolo, I know._

"For your information, I came here for Harry." Sirius continued, oblivious to their mental conversation. "That you got your filthy claws on him and undoubtedly fed him your propaganda and lies doesn't mean he won't be able to see reason!"

"First of all, my nail hygiene is immaculate, though I don't see how it concerns you." Marvolo dryly remarked. "And secondly, Harry already saw reason, which is why he joined me in the first place."

Harry stiffened as Sirius took a step back and slung a protective arm around the teen's shoulder, but he didn't want to hurt his godfather by immediately drawing back either. His heart sank at Sirius' hostile attitude. How had he ever thought he would be able to persuade this man? Sirius hated everything that had to do with the dark because of his own childhood, and no matter how or how often Harry would try and explain, the man had chosen his side.

"Sirius." he softly spoke, suddenly feeling very tired. "I know you don't want to hear it, and I know that you feel you have responsibilities regarding me or should protect me, but I won't go back to Dumbledore and the Order. You don't want to hear it now, as you didn't want to the first time, but I am** here**, with** him, **and that's what I really, really **want**. I belong here so much more than in Dumbledore's clutches. You don't see what he does, you don't know what he's done to me and my friends…"

"But we are… aren't **we** your friends? Your family?** That** there, **killed** your parents! The only biological family you had left if you count those horrible excuses for people!"

"I don't want to go over all this** again** Sirius!" Harry suddenly shouted, fed up with it all. He broke away from the man's grip abruptly in favour of stepping closer to Marvolo, who laid a firm hand on his shoulder in support, trying his hardest not to curse Sirius into the next world if Harry interpreted the emotions that flowed through the link correctly.

"But I don't understand!"Sirius exclaimed. "What are you talking about? First time? Forgetting? Going over it again? You! It's **you** isn't it? You've done** something** to him to….to… to make him lose faith in us!" He was yelling directly at Marvolo now, and Harry really saw why Sirius' Animagus form was a dog. He resembled one now far too clear. A scared but angry, rabid dog.

"Trust me, I didn't need to do anything for that." Marvolo evenly replied, and the teen admired the amount of control the other was showing. If they hadn't had an audience, even though they couldn't hear the conversation and accusations, Sirius would have long tasted the Cruciatus curse. "Dumbledore dug his own grave** all** on his own. Make sure not to do the same, Black."

Pure rage crossed Sirius' features for a moment, and in a gesture that was both braver and more foolish than anyone else could have shown, by which Fudge's act of walking away without a word paled considerably, he spat at the feet of the Dark Lord, whose face hardened considerably.

"Keep your threats to yourself." the other said, sneering.

"And with that, you crossed the line Black. Again." Marvolo whispered. "And this time, no-one will jump in front of the curse." he continued on the same, deadly tone.

Harry closed his eyes slowly and let his breath escape through his teeth with a hissing sound. "Sirius, why couldn't you just have stayed away." he muttered sadly. "You and I will never see eye to eye regarding my choices. And despite what you seem to believe, they** were** my own choices." Harry finished, though he was unsure as to whether or not Sirius had heard him, as the man was fixated only on the red-glowing tip of the Dark Lord's bone-white wand.

"As I said… you went too far."

* * *

_Christmas_. Such an odd, wonderful thought, but one that seemed to hold merely a faraway meaning to her, even after she had celebrated Christmas evening yesterday with an elaborate dinner and presents. It didn't have the same meaning to her anymore as it had before Hogwarts. Christmas then, had been a 'magical' time, but after being introduced to **real** magic, it… just wasn't the same anymore. And yet, something big always happened at Christmas…

Past year, she had even danced in the arms of Victor at the Yule ball before Ron had ruined it. Jealousy, she now realized. Well, not that she hadn't figured that out that time, but it had been something she'd pushed away a bit throughout the following conversations with him, in which declarations of love were left unspoken time and time again.

She heard her parents downstairs. They had already been up early in the morning to clean up from last night and prepare everything for today, but after everything that had happened last days, she hadn't felt much for doing the same. Now, however, she was well-rested –finally- and rose from her long slumber, pleased to see that it was nearly afternoon. The distinctive smell of pine floated through the door and walls, finally making the thought of Christmas a tad more real again in her mind.

Hermione quickly dressed and went downstairs, cheerfully greeting her parents, glad that she finally had some time to spend with them. However, the feeling that had overcome her yesterday, the feeling of foreignness of the normalcy in the house, had not yet left. She had spent the last months practicing magic, discovering secrets, and finally joining the Dark Side. It was something she would never be able to share with her parents, who had no clue as to the on goings in the magical world. They were hesitant about the concept of owl post, and therefore had no subscription to any sort of magical magazine or newspaper to inform them about it. She also sometimes thought that they didn't** want** to know, that perhaps it was too confrontational. While they were proud of her abilities, they did not like to be included in anything magical.

And yet, that was what had mainly driven her to get to know everything there was about that new, foreign world that opened its arms for her.

However, she was not met by the same greetings, as she had expected, and when she looked at the item in her frowning father's hands, she realised why. While they were not subscribed to the Daily Prophet, _she_ was, and as she hadn't been up yet when the owl delivered the paper, they had taken it. Usually, it would not have been a problem, but the headlines weren't the usual 'Robbery here, election there'. Instead, the Dark Mark alighted a dark sky, Fudge's face below, and the headlines weren't any better. She grabbed the newspaper before her father could say anything, frantically reading it.

**Yule Ball Fiasco at Malfoy Manor**  
_by Jives Janeway_

_A week of peace has finally ended in a gruesome attack. And not from whom many may expect. Last night, during the Yule Ball, several members whom are believed to have ties with Albus Dumbledore, and are even suspected of being members of the Order of the Phoenix, attacked the many innocent guests of Mr and Mrs Malfoy. Their excuse was the presence of the notorious He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named and the former Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter._

_Yesterday evening, the top of the Ministry, and many members of the upper class society were invited to the Yule Ball, hosted at Malfoy Manor. Everything went smoothly until the infamous fugitive, Sirius Black, appeared amongst the guests. Interesting to note however, is that while the general belief held is that Black used to be You-Know-Who's right hand, it became clear through the confrontation that followed, that such is not the case at all. Instead, Black is a firm supporter of Dumbledore, which of course raises the question as to why the Headmaster of Hogwarts and Head of the Wizengamot, never spoke up in his defense. _

_Due to silencing wards, the exact contents of Black's heated argument with Harry Potter and You-Know-Who remain unknown, but the gesture of spitting in front of You-Know-Who's feet and trying to drag Potter away could not have been more clear. Enraged, the Dark Lord tried to curse Black, but was forced to divert his aim as suddenly, other, uninvited people started attacking, not seeming to care about the bystanders in their haste to curse He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named._

_The guests ended up hurrying home through either Floo or Apparition after the Dark Mark was fired into the night sky, while the fighting continued. Sadly, this morning, right before this paper was printed, the shocking news reached us that Minister Fudge never returned home. His whereabouts remain unknown, though many fear the worst. _

_While Minister Fudge also had an argument with You-Know-Who this evening, it is unclear who his real enemy was. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named clearly had not expected the attack at the Yule Ball, and through his earlier conversation with the Minister no death threats were given, although Fudge's insult at the end may have changed that opinion. It was revealed though, that Fudge tried to play both the Dark Lord and Dumbledore to his hand, so these remain the main suspects._

_Attempts of contacting either Albus Dumbledore or You-Know-Who ended in failure. As of now, it looks like new elections will have to be held soon, unless Minster Fudge somehow re-appears._

"Hermione, what is this?" her mother softly asked. "Who is this...** Dark Lord**? And wasn't Harry Potter a close friend of yours?"

The girl didn't answer, her face pale after reading the article. While it had been the Order to attack, she was certain of who had taken Fudge. It had really,** really** begun, hadn't it? The Ministry might still be clueless, but at least the Order had dropped their defensive, awaiting stance.

"You have to get out of the country." She whispered.

"What?" her father asked, bemused.

"You have to get** out**. You might not realise it, but the country is a battleground, and you** will** be targeted. I am too far in for you to be safe."

"Hermione, calm down. Calm down and explain to us what you mean."

She sat down at the table, but made sure her wand was within reach. "There is a war going on. It started almost thirty years ago, when a man saw the wrong in the world, gathered followers, and fought for his beliefs. While his views are good, his methods are questionable at least. He fought against the Ministry of Magic at first, but soon his worst enemy, Albus Dumbledore, gathered people of his own. He is the headmaster of Hogwarts and has also his share of power within the Ministry."Hermione paused, wondering how she could possibly tell everything. "The man who started everything was called Tom Riddle, but for personal reasons, he changed his name into Voldemort, and made sure to erase every bit of his past until no-one remembered it anymore, except for the few who knew him personally."

"And yet you know." Her mother said. "Do you... personally know this… Voldemort?"

"I do, actually, because of Harry. Seventeen years ago, Voldemort attacked Harry's parents, who were members of the Order of the Phoenix, the group Dumbledore had created. He tried to kill Harry too, but failed for reasons yet unknown to me. Perhaps they have figured it out by now, but if so, he hasn't told me. Instead, Voldemort's body was destroyed."

"He's dead then?"

"No, it's… it's complicated. I told you that he started fighting for his beliefs, but he has also always been very afraid of death, and therefore he searched the world for means to reach immortality."

"There is no such thing." Her father scoffed.

"He succeeded." Hermione continued, throwing her dad a pointed look. "But at the cost of his sanity. He lost his goals in a quest for power, and fell deeper and deeper into madness until he was nothing more than someone feared by all. He seized power by force and terrorized the Wizarding world during those years, until that night Harry defeated him. And yet, Voldemort, or his more common names 'the Dark Lord' or 'You-Know-Who', as he was known by now as many feared to speak his name, had not been vanquished completely. His spirit somehow survived and hid for thirteen years. Thirteen years in which the Ministry slowly attempted to built up society again from the ashes he had left it in. However… they didn't change a thing. They built it up by old standards and old laws, making all the** good** changes Voldemort had brought, null and void."

"Good changes such as what?"

"Rights for magical creatures, early education for Muggleborns and wizards raised by non-magical people, the start of integration in the Muggle World, and the legalization of hundreds of potions and spells that were deemed 'dark' before, even if they could be used for good in certain situations. Sadly, throughout the years, a lot of these changes disappeared again, even during His reign."

"And now?" her mother asked, pointing at the newspaper. "He is back?"

"Yes. He made a few attempts to regain a body, and at the start of summer this year, he succeeded.** But**, with one difference: his mind has also been restored. He is still a cruel man, I can't deny that, but he is sane at least, and… I've also seen more sides of him than the face he shows the world." Both her parents opened their mouth to speak, but Hermione hurriedly went on. "And Harry, his supposed enemy, and the 'hope' of everyone who fears Voldemort and doesn't agree with his beliefs, has joined Him. They met over summer, and… and I suppose they spoke it out."

"They** spoke it out**?" her mother exclaimed. "You can't just speak something like that out! Didn't he** kill** Harry's parents? Didn't he try to kill Harry and was killed in return? How could you** possibly** get over that?"

Hermione sighed deeply. On one hand, she wanted to defend Harry, but in truth, she had absolutely no idea what had occurred exactly. Harry had told them bits here and there, but had mostly been too busy to chat much. She knew that when in love, one tends to overlook the bad sides of someone, but even that didn't fully explain the how and why. "I can't answer that, except for that Harry found that he absolutely agrees with Voldemort's ideas."

"And you?"

"Me too, which is why I said that I am involved in this as well. I joined Voldemort's side too, even if I didn't take his mark." Her dad spluttered something about 'his what?', but she didn't comment further on it. "Harry and Ron both have family and friends in the Order of the Phoenix, and thus, I have too, but both Ron and I followed Harry over to the Dark side. There are many points on which I frown, but I do agree with their main beliefs, and it is certainly better than the alternatives."

"But what about Dumbledore? We met him and… he seemed nice enough. He stopped Voldemort when that man went insane, didn't he?"

"Yes, but the truth is that it was all a power play. He tried to gain support from more and more people to cover up his past mistakes, and uses them now at their will, using underhand tricks and feelings of guilt. He sent Harry into deadly situations to test his strength, withheld vital information, and ultimately planned to sacrifice Harry if it meant defeating Voldemort again. Dumbledore wants the world to stay the same, where he can overview everything. Muggles and wizards should, in his opinion, live in separate worlds, because out there, he has no power. He hides his intentions behind golden lies and promises he doesn't keep, but in the end, he is only out for personal gain."

"And the Ministry?"

"They want the same; separate worlds, but for another reason. They fear what Muggles could do to them. They are afraid to take steps out into the open and try their best to restrict magic to carefully hidden magical areas. Regarding other things, they are also afraid. Either of being attacked or disturbed in some way, or of losing face, as with the age-old issue about allowing goblins to have wands. And now, they are all fighting." Hermione said, waving vaguely at the newspaper. "The Dark Lord came out into the open a week ago, and the Order has given their answer. Using the chaos, Voldemort captured the current Minister of Magic, who is a weak-minded fool . And I'm not just saying that, I've met him, as have Harry and Ron. Open war has broken out with this fight, and because the Order doesn't yet know that I turned my back on them, although they suspect, and most at the Dark side don't yet know that I joined them, I'm caught somewhere in the middle. I don't want you to be attacked because of me."

"Hermione… we are your parents. We are supposed to take care of you, not the other way around. I might know nothing about the politics of your world, or the details of what's happening there currently, but you should not be burdened with protecting us."

"Then leave! Take a long holiday, get out of the country until this is over, **please**. When Dumbledore confirms that I have left his side, he will try to get me back on his side, and when he won't succeed in that, he** will** try to destroy me, the enemy."

"What is this world, where fifteen-year-old girls are head figures in a war." Her mother spoke sadly. "We should never have let you go there."

"I wanted to. And even through everything that happened, over the years and now, I wouldn't want to have missed it for the world. You don't understand, they are my** kind**."

"Magic or not, we are all human."

"I know mama. And I wish for all humans to share their abilities. Magic will be free, but first, we'll have to fight for it."

"And what will you do? Personally?"

"I think I'll start by releasing a demon to add to the chaos." she smiled, and abruptly turned around, walking towards the stairs again. A certain little bug had been locked up far too long.

* * *

Read and Review!

xx GeMerope


	31. Part II Chapter VI

Marvolo apparently didn't feel the need to catch his breath after apparating into the manor, walking with fast, long strides through the hall, dragging a screaming Fudge behind him using magic while Harry quickly ran after the man after getting his own body under control. He really hated everything that had to do with magical travelling… He wanted to ask where they were going or what they were going to do, but Marvolo didn't seem in the mood to talk, and Harry had to shut the mental link as the rage flowing through battered on his brain.

Marvolo suddenly halted and Fudge slumped down on the floor, but as he tried to get up and scramble away, he was hit by a body-bind spell. "And that is why you should never enrage me." Marvolo hissed to the man. "Tabby!"

Marvolo's favourite house-elf appeared, her green eyes glowing brightly.

"Can I do something for Master Voldemort?" she asked in a squeaky, high-pitched voice.

"Take this man and bring him to the second dungeon. Make sure he can't escape. Also, take the green package from the drawers of my desk and place it in the middle of the room."

"Yes Master." she peeped with excitement, and took hold of Fudge before whisking him away.

They took the second set of stairs in the house, which lead directly to the library, but to Harry's surprise, there was already someone there.

"Oh, thank god." the girl cried out. "I received a notice of what happened minutes ago!"

"What are **you **doing here." Harry snapped, while Marvolo plainly ignored the Muggle who had invaded the library. "And how did you get here anyways?"

"You again?" Sarah rudely said, and showed him a small knut on a chain, her face showing the most irritating superior look. "Portable key. Evan told me what happened at Lucius' Yule Ball a minute ago and I thought I'd come check if everything was alright."

"Portkey." Harry snapped. "And you can't just break into people's **houses**. And who the fuck do you think you are that you can address your betters without proper respect?"

~Harry, we have no time for this.~ Marvolo hissed, startling Sarah, who watched him with wide eyes.

Harry smirked at her, and spoke slowly, deliberately drawing out the hisses: ~I know love, sorry, but she just gets on my nerves.~

With that, he turned his back on her, seeing that Marvolo had found whatever it had been he'd been looking for, judging by the two thick tomes in his hand. His eyebrow twitched when she spoke up again, this time in a sweet voice that got on his nerves even** more**. "I'm really glad that you are alright." she said to Marvolo, and Harry noticed that his lover was itching to curse her but withheld himself. It was incredibly irritating to know that it was such a bad idea to curse Sarah, as she was one of their first Muggle contacts, and had become a vital part in the Muggle-Wizard cooperation process.

"**Excuse** me." Marvolo hissed. "But we have rather important things to do."

"Can I help?" she asked, oblivious to the hostility in the man's tone, or maybe merely unwilling to hear it.

To Harry's surprise, Marvolo suddenly smirked. "Actually… I think you might be able to…"

~What are you doing?~ Harry angrily asked.

~Making sure she will see me for who I am. This is getting ridiculous. Getting lusted after by a Muggle is degrading and plainly shameful. She will regret it.~

"**Finally**." Harry muttered.

"Can all wizards do that?" Sarah asked with excitement. "Speak that language? Can non-magical people learn it too?"

Harry exhaled slowly through his nose, trying to gather the necessary amount of willpower necessary to not kill her right then and there. "No, not all wizards can, and yes, everyone can learn it, like one can learn any language, although for us it was a gift we were born with. Now can you be quiet?"

"I didn't ask** you** anyway, **boy**. Gosh, what did I ever do to you anyways?"

_Trying to steal my love away, maybe?_ He thought, but while he wanted to scream it in her face, he knew it would be much more satisfactory for him if she would find out through whatever it was that Marvolo had planned.

Said man was already on his way, and Harry had to run again to catch up, not caring about Sarah, who had a hard time running on her high heels.

* * *

Harry extinguished all the candle flames with a wave of his wand until they were only surrounded by darkness, so the changes to Marvolo's body, who would probably be more sensitive to everything than he already was, wouldn't be such a shock for his lover when he would regain his consciousness should he lose it during the process. True to the girl's word, Sarah didn't speak or move, not even complaining about the sudden darkness. That did not mean that Harry appreciated her presence any more than he had minutes ago. It felt to him that she was defiling a sacred moment between him and his fiancé. Harry heard a groan in the dark as Fudge moved in his shackles.

"Sarah, go to him and release him." Marvolo commanded in a harsh voice, kneeling down on the stone floor. Harry heard the rustling of fabric and knew that the man was undressing. A feel of jealousy coiled in his stomach, even though he knew there was currently nothing sexual about the act. He supposed it must be strange to Marvolo to have other people here than the victim… and even the last wasn't necessary, as a Horcrux could also be created some time after the kill. The clanking of metal sounded through the room as the shackles fell on the stone floor, and Fudge's hazy, fearful muttering reached his ears. "Now bring him here." the man whispered with sadism.

"What… what exactly will you-" Sarah asked, clearly getting more uncomfortable by the second.

"Didn't you agree to keep silent and obey?" the Dark Lord threw back. Harry heard the man was tense, probably not looking forward to whatever was to come. The girl nervously rubbed her arms.

"Alright, sorry." she whispered, tugging a sobbing Fudge closer. A flare of jealousy shot though Harry's stomach again as she approached Marvolo's unclad body. Fudge fell to his knees, unable to produce any intelligent sounds.

Using a fingertip, Marvolo lifted Fudge's chin until scared eyes met his own. "You know why you are here?" he hissed.

"I…I…" the man didn't get any further, starting to hyperventilate, and Marvolo pushed his head away with a sneer.

"The almighty Minister of Magic. The only reason you were chosen was because you are easy to manipulate. You turned the position into a joke and still failed to recognise your betters. You aren't even worthy of ever breathing the same air as most of the people you had to lead._** Crucio**_!" Fudge's shrill scream pierced the room, his hands and arms flailing uselessly through the air until it stopped. Marvolo briefly glanced at a pale, shocked Sarah, who refused to meet his gaze. Turning back at Fudge, he spoke: "I would have even let you get away with it and live your pathetic life if you hadn't dared to insult me in such an insolent way. Now, Harry, take the book on top and go to page 623."

The teen did as asked, illuminating the pages with the tip of his wand, careful not to raise it higher and cast light on his lover. When he got to the page, he studied the large symbol on it, which was made up from a lot of straight lines.

~This is a rune cluster. I never used it before during this ritual as I obviously can't draw on the back of my own head, but it will help me to focus even through the pain and keep myself stable during the process. I brought charcoal, as I don't want Fudge's filthy blood on my skin.~

Harry nodded, not quite sure whether Marvolo could see or not in the darkness. ~What exactly will happen?~ he hissed.

~I will kill him first, and then make the Horcrux. You cannot help me with that, so make sure to stay away from me. However, keep your wand trained at me at any time.~ Harry opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off. ~No Harry. I will not take a risk. If anything goes wrong… if **I** go wrong… kill me. I have drawn up instructions on what is to happen to the Dark and my followers until I will be able to resurrect again, and also **how** I can be resurrected, even though Pettigrew also knows quite something about that.~

~You won't go wrong.~ Harry fiercely said. ~I trust you.~

~I wish I could say the same.~ Marvolo somberly answered. ~But by what happened last time I did this, my experience is that you shouldn't. But we'll see. I have no human body anymore, so it is hard to predict what will happen.~

Harry didn't care that the Muggle was still looking, standing a few paces away from them. He carefully embraced his lover, hoping it wouldn't be for the last time in a long, long while. That it wouldn't be the last time those eyes looked at him with softness. He pressed his cheek against Marvolo's bony shoulder and inhaled deeply to calm himself. "Shall we start then?" he tensely asked.

"Yes. It is no use procrastinating."

After releasing the man, Harry studied the pattern in the book carefully, hoping he wouldn't mess it up. He took the piece of charcoal Marvolo had offered him and placed it on the skin, having a fleeting thought about how strange it was to draw on the one he'd tried to capture on paper so often.

XxX

He felt oddly calm as the symbols were being completed, the charcoal pressing softly against his skull. Perhaps he shouldn't be, taking into account everything that was at stake, but the ritual was something he had done many times before, and even the thought of the pain that was to come didn't make his emotions waver. It had become something routine. He quickly listed everything in his mind, not having to spare more than a thought on every detail. How unlike the first time, when he had triple-checked every little thing. He did flip open the second book though, briefly checking the spells necessary, even though he already knew them by heart.

He mentally pictured the symbol that was being drawn on his head. An Uruz rune, encircled by several water and wind runes, which in turn had another ring of earth runes around them. The cluster would keep his thoughts and emotions stabilised. He relaxed as he felt Harry's hand was steady, drawing the runes with care, not that he had expected anything else. He felt lips at the base of his neck moments after the completion of the symbol. Harry retreated, taking Sarash's arm to drag the girl with him to the side of the room.

He took a few deep breaths and fingered the wand, which he'd laid next to him when Harry had started. He picked it up again and pointed it in between Fudge's eyes, not feeling like wasting more words on the man.

"_**Avada Kedavra**_." He said it without much emotion. Killing had become a thoughtless something for him, and the malice and force behind it was something he's only needed at the beginning. He didn't even need to** want** to kill anymore to do so, which was very convenient in a large battle without clear opponent. Aimless Killing curses were usually unheard of, as they were deemed impossible, like so many magic he was able to do was officially impossible.

He watched the process of death with intent, all traces of magic instantly gone, blown away with the soul. All life, and the coloured energy that clung to a person's body when alive, had vanished in an instant, leaving nothing behind but a faint purple glow, the only energy that was present in everything, but was usually hidden behind other layers. Fudge was no longer a person, but was merely an empty shell of tissue that had the possibility of holding life.

He stuck his hands out to the body, knowing that it would be cold already, unlike what would have happened with a natural death. The vacuum that was left behind as everything left was ice-cold, not yet replaced by natural energy. He felt it creep up his hand, slowly, steadily freezing him to the bone to the point where it hurt, and he wondered if this was a taste of what death felt like.

Quickly, he retracted his hand and glanced up to the other people in the room, noticing with contempt that the Muggle had slid down the wall, her hands in front of her mouth and her eyes wide. Well good, her illusion of him being a nice wizard was obviously shattered completely. Inwardly, he smirked. If she couldn't even stomach** this**…

He shivered slightly, bracing himself for the hard part. He placed the Hallow sign in between him and Fudge and created a protective circle with his wand. He cleared his mind and slowly sank into his own thoughts, trying to look beyond his own mind and look into his core, his soul, until he found where it had been torn. He felt vague, small tears from earlier kills, but they were not usable for this process any longer, having been too long ago. Finally he found it, and he pointed his wand at his chest, mentally concentrating on the half-loose piece of soul.

"_**laceratione complevit anima**_." he started, his breathing hitching slightly. "_**lacerandum amplius**_." He grimaced in pain as he felt it tear further, ripping itself apart from the main soul. "_**Valeo**_!" he panted. "_**effundam te in exterioris mundi**_!" He screamed, not able to do anything else as it tore itself off completely. He felt the soul try to escape his body, rejected by the main soul now, trying to find something else to attach itself to. White flashed before his eyes as he felt his body twist and shift as it tried to cope with suddenly losing a part of the soul that it was supposed to host. He felt that it was trying to adapt itself to having a lesser soul, and he threw himself on the ground, howling as his body seemed to collapse in on itself, bones twisting, skin pulling itself tighter. The symbol on his head burned, not allowing him to lose himself.

A silvery strand came from his chest, breaking free, almost instantly being attracted to the new vessel he had set up and drenched with his magic right before the Yule Ball to make it compatible to his soul. Not that it had been very necessary. With the charms already placed on it and the part of the Philosopher's stone in it, it was the perfect magical item. He shook his head to clear his fuzzy thoughts, once more pointing his wand. "_**Cludo**_." he rasped out, momentarily thrown off by the sound of his own voice, having forgotten that his vocal chords had also changed, pulled tighter, like the rest of his body. A pain shot through his chest as his heart tried to cope with the changes, pumping blood harder and faster through his body than before. He gagged and clawed at his throat as he felt his trachea close a bit too. Through his tears, he saw Harry run closer, despite all the warnings he had given the teen, but much to his relief, mentally he didn't feel all that different, although the reason for that might be his current painful state.

Then, it abruptly stopped, and he gasped for air like a newborn babe, sagging down on the stone, knowing that it would take some time to figure out how to move everything correctly.

"Ha… Harry." he said, the first thing he noticed being that his tongue felt odd, but also familiar, as if it had changed more often like this, however this was. "Harry." he said again, trying to focus on the face. Everything looked so much clearer than before… he could see every separate hair that framed the boy's face like a dark halo as if it was etched against the background. He saw brilliant green eyes narrow against the dark and realised that Harry could barely see anything here. He looked away, and saw the whole world move, saw the air float around him and the disturbances in it when something else pushed it away.

"Fascinating." he whispered. "Truly enthralling."

"Marvolo?" Harry hesitantly asked, and Marvolo could hear not one, but several separate tones underneath the main voice, conveying the emotions of the speaker. Hesitance… fright… hope…

"It's me Harry." he answered. "It worked. Isn't it brilliant?" he added, exuberant. He had done it. Really, properly done it this time. He was immortal. Seven times immortal and more powerful than ever. Slowly, he brightened the room a bit so the others would be able to see him, and also curious as to how his eyes would react to light.

"What have you** done**?" a shrill voice instantly exclaimed, and they both turned to look at a shaken Sarah, who had pressed herself at the wall. "What** are** you?" she sobbed. "You lied! You want nothing but power! And look where it has brought you, you've become the devil himself!"

He raised his hand, surprised at the ease with which his magic flowed out of his fingertips and wrapped itself around the girl like a dark web. He didn't even need a spell anymore. He was his magic, and it did as he pleased. "A devil? Why, don't I look like myself anymore?" he darkly said. She didn't answer, merely averting her eyes, and he wondered why. She had only ever seen him in his usual form, and had had no problem with it before. Had he really changed even more in such a radical way?

He quizzically looked at Harry, and noticed that even his lover seemed uncomfortable under his gaze. "What changed?" He simply asked, but the only thing Harry did was point his own wand at the stone wall.

"_**Mutare in metallum**_." Harry murmured, and the stone smoothed over, becoming a polished, silver-coloured surface. What he saw shocked him. Gone were his human eyes, the stubs of his ears and other small details that still defined him as human. The white of his eyes had bled completely to red, with slitted pupils that stared intently back at him. As he licked his lips, which had now completely the same colour as the rest of his features, he noticed why it had felt so strange and familiar at the same time. It was black and thin now, with a forked tip, like he had used more often by changing it with his Metamorphmagus abilities. Intrigued, he took in the other changes, from the disappearance of any facial hair he'd had left to his ribs and hipbones, which stuck out even more now.

There was also a strange, subtle modification to the way he felt things physically, and it was only when he inspected his hands that he realised why. While before, his skin had been sensitive, feeling everything like a snake would when just having had his skin shed, he now saw several patches of scales that looked like they were in the middle of the forming process. They were as white as the rest of his skin, but slightly harder, although not yet the same as they would be when fully formed. He entertained the thought of what would happen if he split his soul even more, but immediately rejected the idea. The next magical number with an equal power of seven would be twenty-one, and by the time he'd gone that far he didn't think there was anything he would bear a resemblance to.

He wiped up some blood he saw slowly sliding down his arms where the skin had broken before before forming itself anew, and studied it with interest. "A devil… I have never met a bleeding devil before." he mused, and stepped closer, smirking when she recoiled, trying to find a means of escape. He heard Harry utter a protesting sound and became conscious of that he was still naked. He let magic pour from his every pore, changing the air molecules around him into light, black fabric that concealed most of him from view.

"Marvolo?" Harry tensely asked, and he whipped his head to the left to look at the teen, unaware of how serpent-like the gesture made him look. "I… Well… How do you feel? Regarding… emotions?"

He blinked in wonder, knowing that he should have expected that question. "You mean regarding you?" He softly asked, and Harry nodded nervously.

"Oh Harry." he laughed softly, taking the few steps to reach the other and enveloping the teen with his arms. "It seems everything really did go well." he whispered, and felt wetness from tears seep through his robes as Harry clung to him forcefully.

"Wait… **what**?" they heard.

"Oh** shut up**, Muggle." Harry snarled, turning around and wiping his eyes dry "In case it wasn't abundantly clear before, he's **mine** and if you dare to look at him with those false doe-like eyes again I will personally make sure you'll never be able to have children again!"

"Viscious…" Marvolo mumbled.

"As if I'd want… **that**." she shrieked back.

~What will we do about her.~ Harry asked, annoyed. ~I know killing isn't an option but…~

"Sarah. I think it would be a very good idea if you went home and pretended we never met. Also, don't try going to my enemies, they have even less use for you than I currently do. Inform your Muggle friends of that you're going to take a **long** vacation, and make sure that you stress that you leaving has absolutely nothing to do with me or magic in general. I will know if you do, and I will eliminate every single person you tell."

"You really are a freak." she spat out.

"_**Crucio**_."

When he ended the spell, she couldn't do anything but try to breath, and Marvolo used the opportunity to call Tabby again, instructing the elf to take Sarah away and bring back the Portkey the girl wore. He hoped for her that they would never cross paths again.

* * *

Yesterday evening had been surprising, really. Ron had thought that his mother would fuss over him a lot more, but she had been strangely avoiding the topic of the three of them leaving Hogwarts. She'd vaguely commented on Fred and George now running a successful shop, but it had seemed as if her thoughts were elsewhere. Their father had looked tired as well, but even so, he had asked his sons all about their products, especially the ones that combined Muggle technology with magic.

Despite his mother's strange behavior, Christmas eve had been fun, apart from the moment where his mother had burst out in tears when realizing Percy wouldn't come and had not even bothered to reply to her invitation. Charlie was still out of the country too, but at least he'd had the decency to send an owl. Bill had been there though, as well as Ginny, and overall it had been a nice, cosy evening. The house had been decorated as elaborately as last year, and the Twins had demonstrated a new type of fireworks, that multiplied itself until someone shouted the correct spell. While it was harmless, it did make an awful lot of noise, and was perfect for distracting large groups.

The only indication that his mother recognized the fireworks from death eater appearances was a shocked look during the first few seconds it had been in the air.

Ron really didn't know what to think about it though. They had always been an extremely close family, an now there were just so many **gaps**. Charlie wasn't there, Percy wasn't, and there were a lot of things left unspoken between his parents and the Twins and he. Ginny and Bill seemed to be the only ones who were still tight with the parents, but they all knew Bill would soon settle down as well and maybe start a family of his own.

He sighed and cracked his back before heading downstairs, until Pig suddenly collapsed with Ron's head.

"Bloody owl!" he shouted, plucking the chirping creature out of the air. "What is it **now**?" Pig proudly dropped a small envelope on the floor, shitted on table and crashed against the window in a drunken attempt to get out. "Worse than bloody Errol." Ron muttered, pissed. He tried to spell the table clean, and just decided to read the letter somewhere else after seeing only a change in colour instead of size of the spot. Perhaps one of the Twins would think it was pink bubble-gum or something and clean it up…

He opened the envelope and unfolded the letter, freezing when noticing the elegant signature.

_Mr Weasley._

_I hereby inform you that your duties will be needed this Friday evening. You and your brothers, who have received an alike notice, are expected at my manor at seven sharp. Note that after this you will no longer be able to show yourself to any who consider themselves opposed to me._

_Lord Voldemort._

The simple, formal letter sent chills to his spine. He didn't know what might have happened and decided he should check either the Prophet or the Quibbler. The latter was probably the best idea, as it still held the most relevant information, even though the Prophet also changed their attitude since the Dark Lord revealed himself officially.

He hastily returned to the shop, but before his brothers could scold him for taking such a long break, he asked: "Did something happen last night?"

Fred and George traded knowing looks. "You've gotten a letter too then? We just got an owl as well."

"Here?"

"Yes. Caused some chaos, but we managed. The Quibbler was delivered not long ago too, and the front page didn't look very promising. We haven't had time to look at it yet, so if you could read it and give a general summary, that'd be great." Fred said, before a customer came up to him with a flood of questions. Ron hurried to the living area at the back of the shop again, spotting the Quibbler at the table. His heart sank when seeing the Dark Mark displayed on front with a ring of holly around it.

He quickly flipped the pages to the main article and sat down. While reading, he understood why his presence was required. If the order had openly given the 'attack' signal, the Dark Lord had to gather his own forces too. He was amazed by that the man was confident that he could do so within a few days, but Voldemort had of course a lot of experience in warfare. He just hoped that they could still help in the shop too, and that not all of his time would be spent on Death Eater duties.

On the other hand, he was kind of excited for it too. He'd finally be able to prove his worth in battle.

* * *

_**Your reporter is back!**_

_by Rita Skeeter_

_After being kidnapped out of the blue and months of imprisonment and mental torture, my kidnapper finally decided to release me. The reason? She saw the light and decided that darkness is preferred these times. Yes, you heard it right dear readers. During all those months of absence I was taken by one of Dumbledore's followers, and only released again when said follower turned Dark. _

_Of course, I will not bore you with stories about me! I merely inform you hereby that Rita Skeeter is back and ready to get to the bottom of everything again. What are Potter's __**real**__ motives for joining the Dark Side? What is You-Know-Who up to and is Dumbledore really as righteous as is common belief?_

_You will be hearing from me._

A scowling Rita looked at Hermione as the girl read the article with an approving smile.

"Brilliant."

"These are lies. Horrifying lies."

Hermione rolled the article up and airily said: "Something you've never had problems with before, Rita. And there are more truths in this than you might know."

"You manipulating little…"

"Ah-ah. You don't want to get back in the glass jar again, do you? I can easily force you into your Animagus form again. The Dark Lord was so kind as to lift the underage restrictions on me."

"I've noticed." Skeeter sullenly muttered.

"Besides, I was under the impression that you hated Dumbledore. I know quite a lot of people who have massive blackmail on him and no time on their hands to concretely do anything with it."

Skeeter frowned, looking unwillingly interested. "And I take it you want me to do that? What's in it for me?"

"You will get the fame for taking Dumbledore down, will probably get filthy rich because of book sales and on top of that you get to keep your little secret."

Skeeter licked her lips, pretending to think about it. "I think we've struck ourselves a deal, Ms Granger."

"Oh please." The girl smirked. "Call me Hermione."

* * *

**_laceratione complevit anima_, __****lacerandum amplius**. _**Valeo!**_ _**E****ffundam te in exterioris mundi:** _Torn soul, tear further. Begone! pout yourself into the outside _**world.**_  
_**Cludo:**_ Finish/conclude/end.  
_**Mutare in metallum**_: Change into metal

Read and Review!**  
**xx GeMerope


	32. Part II Chapter VII

He could hear his own breath and the erratic beating of his heart loudly. He hadn't thought it would affect him so much, but the changes had caused memories to resurface… Red, iris-less eyes on a face that grew out of the back of the head of the man he'd killed… The first man he'd ever murdered, while he was at the tender age of eleven. A hand slid down his back, cold as always, but the fingers were unfamiliar, thinner, sharper. He knew Marvolo would change his features back to what they were before the second Harry asked for it, but while he tried his best not to flee and hide, he refused to do that.

Appearances shouldn't matter… that's what he'd always told himself. A person should never be judged by his looks, and that was one of the reasons he'd so easily accepted Marvolo. But to be confronted with this sudden change was not something he liked. Maybe, if the man had looked like this after his resurrection, Harry would have been used to the thought, but as it was, he didn't feel like it was his lover who was currently tracing his skin.

"Harry." Marvolo spoke softly, but even his voice sounded strange, higher.

"I'm sorry." Harry muttered, finally opening the link between their minds a bit, which he'd kept slammed down ever since the Horcrux had been made, nearly a day ago. Marvolo had used the day to sleep so he would regain his strength, and Harry had, until this moment, mostly avoided his lover. He tensed when skeletal arms snuck around his waist, the scales on them shimmering slightly.

"I'm still me." Ah, the sadness in that voice… It made the teen feel even guiltier than he already did. Making up his mind, he abruptly turned around, facing Marvolo, looking straight into the slitted pupils. "If you want, I can change…"

"No!" Harry exclaimed, fighting with his own feelings. He put his hand on top of the man's shoulders, his own body shaking with a mixture of fear and self-hatred. "I should… I should love you, no matter what. If I can't do that… then I'm not worthy of becoming your husband." He blinked away tears of anger and took a deep, shuddering breath. "I always thought you beautiful." he whispered, laying his head in the crook of Marvolo's neck. "Others were always disgusted by that, could not understand… But long ago, I forced myself to not be deterred by what others saw as ugly or strange. However, even through that, I never tried to see beauty in someone who doesn't even resemble a human anymore."

"I didn't exactly look human before either."

"You had some flesh left…. An indicator of where your ears had been… human** eyes**."

"As I said, I can change it easily."

"But you shouldn't need to." Harry sighed, pushing away and averting his eyes in shame. "And you're not a natural Metamorphmagus, so it would constantly eat away your magic when you keep it changed for me."

"Then what do you want me to do?"

Harry sighed again. "I don't know. I want to get used to seeing you like this, to be able to love you with the same devotion as before. After all,** you** didn't change. But I'm only human, and I suppose I need some time to accept… this."

"I understand." Marvolo replied, his voice suddenly void of emotion. "I shall ask a house-elf to prepare your old room."

"I... what?" Harry asked, baffled.

"I will not sleep in the same bed as someone who is afraid to death of me." the man growled angrily, and got up in a fluent motion before storming through the door. Harry was left staring at it, his lips parted with surprise, before it suddenly dawned on him that his confession must have hurt his lover a lot more than he had initially shown.

"**Stupid**!" he cried out, turning to bury his head in a pillow. "I'm so **fucking** stupid!"

He quickly got up from the bed and sprinted down the corridor, knowing that Marvolo had probably gone to his study. He only slowed down when the door of it came in view, and hesitated during the last steps, before finally peeking his head around the doorframe. He took a deep breath when seeing Marvolo, who sat in a chair with his back to Harry, hands balled in fists and tensed up. Harry silently slid down the doorpost until his butt hit the floor. He remained sitting like that, on the threshold, for minutes, not knowing what he could say or do to make it better.

He quietly studied the other, who had not in any way relaxed since Harry had been there. Harry trailed the man's back, arms and head with his eyes, surprised by how similar he looked to before from this angle. If he didn't know any better, he could have thought there had been no changes.

But no, there** were**, he should man up and accept that.

He suddenly heard a deep sigh, and he saw the anger flow out of Marvolo, who muttered: "Man? By Merlin…"

"What?" Harry said, confused.

"I'm sorry Harry… Really, really sorry. I sometimes forget… but you're only fifteen." Harry didn't see how this was in any way relevant to the whole situation. Marvolo slowly turned around, and Harry did his best to meet the fully red eyes with courage. "It was selfish of me to expect you to ignore… this." he gestured to his face. "I have been used to people doing what I tell them, even if they perceive it impossible, for far too long. I will try to give you as much time as you need."

Harry clumsily got up, gripping the door post so he wouldn't fall, and thanked Merlin that Lucius wasn't here to see it, or he would have gotten a scolding he wouldn't forget. He stepped forwards and reached out, his fingertips grazing the man's skin. Harry frowned in concentration, tracing the strange, new skin while Marvolo let his eyes fall close.

"You have no idea how that feels." Marvolo finally breathed out, and Harry abruptly pulled away.

"I'm not hurting you am I?" he asked, distressed.

A languid smile appeared on his lover's face. "Oh no, pain is the furthest from my mind at the moment."

Harry gulped at the hoarse voice, not knowing if he was ready for such… intimacy with the man right now.

Marvolo sighed, slowly taking Harry's hand in his and pulled it away from his face. "Don't force yourself." he said, but Harry could hear the disappointment. Not knowing what else to do, he nodded and left, aware of the sad gaze on his back.

* * *

"Come in, come in." A voice cried out as Rodolphus' knock on the metal door sounded. He spoke the password and the door rippled before melting away so he could step through it. Paper was scattered everywhere, blank sheets, crumpled balls, magazines… Xenophilius bustled into the room, dropping a new stack on the already full table. He wore a bright expression, although Rodolphus thought he didn't really look healthy. His long, blond hair was tangled, as if it hadn't been combed in weeks, which was very likely, and there were tea stains on the ridiculous, flowered robe. He wanted to open his mouth to ask how his daughter, who had returned for Christmas, was doing, but Lovegood interrupted him.

"Have you heard?" the man exclaimed. "Skeeter! Rita Skeeter. Here!" He pushed something in Rodolphus' hands, and he quickly concluded it was yet** another** paper, but he frowned when folding it open and indeed seeing Skeeter's handwriting. "For months, that hag was gone, and now she's resurfaced again, actually telling the **truth**! And she wants this printed in** my** paper instead of that rag that calls itself the Prophet. Imagine, the Queen of the Prophet wants to publish in the Quibbler!"

Rodolphus leaned back slightly to not be struck by wild flailing arms. He let the man rant and read the article, his brows rising with each word. He wondered what it could mean… He was not aware of his Lord having plans for Skeeter or whether or not the Dark Lord had even noticed her existence. "Well, this is unexpected." He muttered, handing it back over to Xenophilius. "That's bound to give a few people a fit. Skeeter always supported her employer, usually the Ministry since they bought out half of the Prophet."

"I know!" the other said with a crazed grin. "It's** brilliant**."

"But that aside, I came for something else." Rodolphus said, shoving a couple of Quibblers aside so he could sit down. Lovegood's smile disappeared when noticing the other wasn't as enthusiastic by the news as he was.

"What is it?"

"We have gotten a few strange reports from the mainland. Apparently it's been going on for longer, but it's been managed to be hushed until now. It seems someone is…** stealing** magical creatures."

"What sort of creatures?"

"Dragons." Rodolphus replied. "All kinds of them. They've disappeared."

XxX

Charlie braced himself for the landing, his muscles screaming in protest as Xaphia hit the ground. The massive, dark blue dragon's jaws snapped close around the deer they'd been chasing, and he proceeded to happily chew on his caught prey. While Xaphia was busy devouring his food, Charlie drew his wand and shot a few different spells up into the air to test the wards at this spot. It had taken him weeks to set them up, and even now he was constantly busy mending holes and strengthening weak spots. He mentally thanked his brother, Bill, who had taught him a lot about warding, a subject that wasn't covered in the Hogwarts curriculum. Without that knowledge, he could never have let an entire valley disappear off the maps.

"Come on boy." He said, patting the dragon on the shoulder blade. "Can you fly to Redrock?"

Even though he was prepared for it, he still had to grit his teeth when Xaphia suddenly jumped up, lean like a cat, and flew up with amazing speed. The dragon huffed, a cloud of steam drifting from his nostrils into the biting cold air. A minute later, Xaphia landed vertically on the reddish pillar at the end of the valley, the highest point. He used the claws on his wings to clamber up against the stone until they reached the small platform from which they could oversee the whole valley.

Charlie heard the beating of heavy wings and playful sounds, and when he turned around he saw a group of Romanian Ringnecks practice their agility when airborne, trying to impress the others with dangerous acrobatics. He smiled when seeing them so free and careless as opposed to locked up in cages, supposedly to hide them from Muggles. He knew it wasn't the complete truth… they could have easily done the same as he had now, but they wanted to control the dragons like cattle.

He was glad that he had listened to the centaur. While he did not get any other news from Britain here except for the occasional owl his parents sent him, he had the idea that the Dark was gaining ground. And** that**, was exactly what he needed. It wouldn't be long now till any of the sides would openly attack, if they hadn't yet. He had gathered nearly all dragons from the dragon preserves in East-Europe. There were currently fifty-three dragons in the valley, although fifteen of those were too young to be risked in a fight. The only dragons he'd left behind in the preserves were the nesting mothers, because he could not both lead a dragon army and look after a bunch of eggs.

He heard the familiar roar of one of his favourites, Norbertina, the female dragon Harry, Ron and Hermione had brought him a few years ago, and Xaphia growled low in his throat when Charlie reacted on it, looking in the direction. He looked back at Xaphia, amused by the jealous glint in the bright blue eyes. Their bond had grown strong over the last months, ever since he had heeded the centaur's advice and followed the path he should. Xaphia hardly ever let him go anywhere alone, and was a constant looming presence when he visited other dragons. He feared for the life of any hypothetical future lover he would have.

It was as if the dragon read his mind, for he turned his head away abruptly and stomped on the ground, mighty limbs shaking with pent-up anger. "What's wrong boy…" Charlie sighed, approaching the dragon and kneeling down next to the head. He wasn't prepared for a paw shooting out in a flash and pressing him tightly against Xaphia. "Hey! What…" he said, trying to not be squished as the dragon hugged him close, a playful purring sound coming from the chest, washing over him like thunder. Charlie made one last futile attempt to get free before slumping against the neck and legs he was trapped between, resigned. "Alright alright, hint taken, I'm yours." He sighed, rolling his eyes as the dragon purred louder.

* * *

He spied the back of the old man's head, ignoring his protesting arms and cramped fingers in favour of listening to the fool's musings. Fawkes –pardon, Eldur- sharply looked at his former master too, clearly listening intently to every muttered word.

Eyolf, who currently hung at the top ridge of a pillar, just out of sight of the portraits that covered the walls, craned his head, cursing the layout of the office, which made spying near impossible without playing Spiderman and numerous disillusion spells.

"Ah, Fawkes, I admit that I haven't been careful enough…" Dumbledore said, clasping his hands behind his back. "The attack only served as bad publicity on my part, and now I'm even suspected of kidnapping Fudge! Not that he world isn't better off without him, but still… it worries me. Tom has undoubtedly taken him for one purpose or the other, but his actions don't make** sense**." The man turned around and walked towards the desk, sitting down and fingering a quill.

"Power is slipping from my grasp… People from families who I have always been able to play to my hand are turning away from me. Tom and his freedom… he can't see that his idealistic views will get him nowhere. Muggles and magic, freely cooperating, is a fairy-tale, spun for those who don't want their lives to be controlled by those who know better."

Eyolf scowled, not pleased at all by what he heard. For one, Dumbledore was being delusional, and secondly, he hadn't come here to hear the fool's ramblings. This was the third time this month he was able to catch Dumbledore alone, and he had yet to hear something worthwhile. The position of janitor restricted him to the castle, not enabling him to follow Dumbledore to the Order's Headquarters, where he had his most important meetings. If that had been the case, he might have heard something about the planned attack at Malfoy Manor.

"But at least we're getting** somewhere** Fawkes." Dumbledore continued, stroking the bird's feathers. "The scheme I have prepared for Harry is nearly ready. Next time we strike… he will not be as loyal to the Dark anymore as before. He will see his 'Lord' in different perspective…"

Eyolf stiffened and swallowed the bile that rose in his throat. So Dumbledore was planning something for Potter? Whatever it was, it didn't sound good, but sadly the man didn't appear to want to elaborate on the matter. On the other hand, he wasn't all that concerned. It sounded as if the fool was going to try to paint the Dark Lord in bad light for Harry, but the one detail he didn't realise was such a plan could never succeed as they shared their minds, magic, and even their bodies.

Shit, now he had mental images and had to stomp down the urge to bang his head against the pillar to erase them.

Finally, after long minutes of waiting, Dumbledore left the office, and Eyolf knew he had a meeting that would last at least forty minutes. He quickly froze the portraits and jumped down to the floor. Everything was so much easier now he could freely enter Dumbledore's office without multiple alarms going off, something he'd made sure of when they stole the memories. He carefully memorised the place of everything on the desk before he dove in, scanning papers, testing items and searching the drawers until he finally found something useful: a map of Britain with hundreds of coloured dots on it. It didn't specify what each colour meant, but he was certain that whatever it was, the Dark Lord would be able to figure it out. The map was heavily warded, and he carefully undid each spell, now and then using the stone the Dark Lord had lent him. There were several that were clear to him: blue dots on Hogwarts, Godric's Hollow, in the middle of London and several other places, and a large number of green dots indicated places Eyolf knew were the homes of Death Eaters. He was relieved when he saw there was no dot anywhere near the Dark Headquarters.

He made a copy of the map in the same way he had copied Potter's map of Hogwarts, shrank it and put it in his pocket. A further analysis of Dumbledore's desk wasn't fruitful, and he put everything back in place. Eldur called out to him in greeting before putting its head under its wing, and Eyolf cancelled the freezing spell on the portraits before slipping out of the room, leaving none the wiser.

He hurried through the corridors, sticking to the shadows without even thinking about it, even though the castle was practically empty. Only when he arrived at a plain-looking, wooden door, he stepped into the light. He rapped on it, not waiting for an answer before stepping in.

"Good afternoon." He said, ignoring Sameer's raised eyebrows.

"Three minutes more and I would have been naked."

"Shall I come back in three minutes then?" he sarcastically said, taking out the map he'd copied. He scanned the room with his eyes, only relaxing when deeming his surrounding s safe.

"I'll shower later." Sameer muttered, rolling his eyes. "What is it you found?"

"You're sure this room has no listening devices anywhere?" Eyolf said, narrowing his eyes at the walls.

"Personally checked." Sameer sighed.

"Very well, I found** this**." He said, handing the scroll over to the other man. "I wish to use your mark to alert the Dark Lord that I have found something valuable. He is sure to be interested. Also, I need to tell him something I heard Dumbledore saying."

"It is maybe best that you floo to him. I cannot use the Mark to summon him in any way, and it is not safe for him to use the Floo here."

"As a Squib, I should not be able to use Floo either, so if Dumbledore notices I used the fire transport system, he will know something is off."

"I can deliver it to the Dark Lord if you don't want to take risks." Sameer offered, and the assassin nodded curtly.

"That will be appreciated. I will give you a memory of what I saw so you can hand it to the Dark Lord."

While he searched his pockets for a vial and put his wand to his temple after having found and unstopped one, Sameer suddenly seemed to remember something. "Eyolf, last time I spoke the Dark Lord, he asked me if I could ask you something."

The man grunted, trying to concentrate on getting the correct memory while listening to the other.

"He wants to know if you know of any reliable Muggle assassins. For some reason or the other he wants Potter to have a guard that is unable to do magic himself. He thought that possibly, you knew someone from the Muggle section of the Guild…?

Eyolf was done, and wrinkled his nose in distaste. "They're the filth beneath our boots." he spat. "Trying to play something they are not. Few Muggles who have been selected by the Guild finish their training, and even fewer can hope to ever be more than a second-rank assassin, someone to be hired when there is really no-one else."

"Still, there** are** some, and the Dark Lord only needs one."

"I would hardly call any of them assassins, really."

"But their training is harder, isn't it? As they cannot rely on magic like the rest, they need to be resourceful, able to use anything to their advantage to get the same result."

"And usually they don't succeed." Eyolf sighed. "But very well, I can recommend one that will be sufficient in guarding Potter."

"Who said it's for guarding Potter?"

"When are safety measures ever** not** for Potter nowadays? May whatever God Muggles look up to give my replacement babysitter more patience and courage than I could bring myself to have."

* * *

With concentration, Harry finished the last lines of his sketch. It had been strange to draw him like this, but he did think it would help. Looking the drawing over critically, he added a few small lines in afterthought.

Last days had been awkward. It was Thursday now, and Harry really hoped that he and Marvolo would be on the same line again before the attack on the Order Fridays. he was used to the strange, new looks of his lover now, but he still found it hard to associate Marvolo with the man he loved instead of the one he'd seen in his first year, the spirit-like creature with no feelings other than hate, the will to live and the will to murder.

He'd finally decided that it might be a good idea to draw the man as he was now, and he did feel that it helped, at least a bit. He rubbed his tired eyes with the ball of his thumb.

Despite the upcoming attack, he hadn't had much to do last days. He'd had his first official potion lesson with Slughorn, which had been pretty uneventful and only served to remind him that he was crap at potions, to his teacher's great disappointment. Apparently his mother had been a prodigy, and while he did better than he'd had in any of Snape's lessons, he'd only barely managed to brew the potion in a useable form. He had, to his defence, been rather distraught at the time and not paid enough attention to the instructions.

Lucius had visited yesterday for another lesson too, but when noticing the mood Harry was in and briefly seeing a different-looking, brooding Dark Lord, he'd been quick to cancel it in favour of taking Harry out to the gardens to distract him and have the teen get some fresh air.

The nights had been lonely too. While they did still sleep in the same bed, Marvolo was careful not to touch him without consent from Harry, who at his turn didn't know what to do either, resulting in lying awake for hours. But when he'd gotten up today and looked at Marvolo's still sleeping form, he'd decided that it couldn't go on like this any longer. The way they, no, **he** was acting was ridiculous. Rationally, he knew very well that Marvolo's mind hadn't changed, and he'd be damned if he let a bad memory ruin their relationship.

"Marvolo." he said to himself, holding up the paper to see it better. Slitted pupils looked back from a sea of red. His eyes trailed over white, scaled skin and the holes of the ears. "Marvolo."

Resolutely, he got up and erased the barriers he'd put up in his mind. He winced as he felt the sudden storm of emotions that assaulted him, and it weighed heavy on his heart to know that he was the cause.

But no longer.

He easily tracked the man down, who was waiting for him in the living room with hesitant hope. Neither of them spoke as Harry entered and strode towards the other. The teen boldly grabbed the back of Marvolo's neck and pushed demanding lips against nearly non-existing ones. While clearly shocked, Marvolo was quick to guide Harry down in his lap, hungrily returning the kiss.

They both moaned at the sensation, and Harry was surprised to find himself feeling extremely aroused by the strange sensation of scales against his skin. He'd only briefly touched them before, with his fingers, but he'd been feeling too many conflicting emotions at that moment to really **feel** them. A triumphant smile appeared on his face when they broke apart and he looked into Marvolo's eyes, finally seeing them for what they were. Eyes, not a sign of evil or madness. No demonic symbol, or an indicator of Marvolo falling back to what he was before his mind had been restored. They were just eyes, and albeit they looked inhuman and strange, there were feelings swirling in them that Harry definitely could not picture on the face that had grown out of Quirrel's head.

The teen placed his hands on Marvolo's chest, feeling the now rapid thudding beat.

XxX

He shivered lightly as the hands of his lover moved and started pulling his top robe off. When he'd first made his last Horcrux, he'd thought that his skin was less sensitive than before, but while that was true for feeling air or water, it was a whole different thing when it was actually touched by something solid. The scales were indeed spots where the nerves were covered by a thicker layer, but whenever Harry's nails grazed the fine line where it connected the scales to the skin, he had to bite back his moans and fight the urge to throw the boy on the nearest flat surface.

He tried to calm himself, but it was near impossible when devious hands wandered over his torso, exploring the new dents in between his ribs and testing the places where the skin was stretched over the bones. Quivering, he arched his back until his head rested in the crook of Harry's neck.

~Love~, he said in a strangled hiss when a fingers traced the vertebrae. Harry merely hummed, sounding entirely too pleased with himself. Marvolo growled, pushing everything he was feeling at that moment through the link, smirking when Harry moaned out aloud, his eyes rolling in the back of his head. It made him feel slightly better to know he was at least able to control himself.

While Harry was still gasping for breath, Marvolo had picked him up and was now on his way to the bedroom. His young lover surprisingly kept silent, only clinging close to him and sending him a sense of approval.

He put Harry down on his feet when they arrived at the bedroom, and Marvolo studied his lover's calm expression, wondering what had brought about Harry's sudden change in behaviour.

"Harry." Marvolo said, his voice sounding hoarser than he wanted it to be. "Do you trust me?"

"With my life." Harry answered, looking him straight in the eyes, and Marvolo turned his head away to not show the other how the words moved him, although he realised only a moment later that the link was still wide open. Instead of embarrassing him by making a joke about it, Harry gave his one-in-a-million smiles and pulled him towards the bed. "Now what made you ask such a question?"

"My magic… works different now. Feels different. I told you about the Sianelu system before… But within this body, it doesn't exactly work like that anymore. I can make the magic within me change course, and let it flow from literally every pore of my body. Some magicians boast their skill to be able to do wandless magic and cast it with their hands. I can cast it from anywhere now."

Harry was speechless for a moment, and Marvolo felt his wonder and awe. Marvolo quirked an eyebrow when Harry licked his lips suddenly and grinned at him. "When you say 'from everywhere'… does that also include…" He smacked Harry over the head to stop** that** trail of thoughts. "Ow! Hey, I was just curious. It** would **give a completely new spin to the expression 'wand.' OW! Stop that!"

"To answer your question, I would be able to, but I find myself beneath such… immature displays." he said disdainfully.

"Oh fine, have it your way. Then, why** did** you bring it up?"

"Because I wanted to share something with you…" he said. "I know you were uncomfortable before about being subjected to the Cruciatus curse, even a modified one that would stimulate your nerves in... another way."

"A…And?" Harry gulped.

"And this." the man answered, wrapping his arms around the boy and releasing magic from every cell of his body until it engulfed the other. Harry's reaction was instant. He screamed, but through the link Marvolo knew that it was definitely not in pain. Moaning himself, he bit the soft skin of the teen's neck, his hands tugging the robes loose to free more skin for him to touch. When he finally stopped the flow of magic, Harry sagged down on the bed, limp and completely spent.

"A warning would have been nice." he croaked in between gasping for breath, but Marvolo's only answer was to drag his tongue slowly over the other's now exposed shoulder. "Merlin." Harry continued. "That felt… felt…" he apparently couldn't find any words that would properly compare it, so he merely shook his head disbelievingly.

"I am glad it pleased you, little Salazar." The man murmured in his ear, making Harry shiver again.

The boy yawned and cuddled up to him. "Sleepy." he said, butting his head against Marvolo.

"Then sleep love." Came the reply, and the man kissed his fiancé. "You can pay me back in the morning."

"Slytherin." Harry mumbled, his eyes drooping.

A few seconds later, Harry's breath deepened, and Marvolo carefully moved the teen into a more comfortable position. He licked his lips when noticing the sticky stains on Harry's abdomen, but refrained from licking it up. Harry would be annoyed with him when woken up now, no matter the reason, and he did** not** want to deal with a grumpy Harry.

After granting himself a few minutes of staring at the boy's sleeping face, he finally sighed and got up. He still had quite some work left for the upcoming attack, no matter how pleasant it would be to stay here for hours and pleasure himself to the sight of the sleeping teen. He'd used Phineas' painting yesterday to get in contact with Eldur and the Hat, right after receiving news from Sameer and Eyolf, and while the Hat still disapproved of his decision to tackle both the Order and the Ministry, he had been very willing to give him more information about what Dumbledore was planning.

It seemed that the old man would try to get Harry over to his side again by having someone use Polyjuice potion to resemble Marvolo and placing a network of subtle mind-magic spells that would make Harry think it was really him, even in mind. Yesterday, he had feared for a moment that it might have even worked, as Harry had still been avoiding him as much as possible, but he could admit now that even so, the plan would have failed. Dumbledore had no idea how far their link had developed. A cobweb to poison their link would have worked if they'd only been able to receive flashes of emotion, but as it was, they had learned how to communicate actively from a large distance. Harry might be thrown off for a few seconds, but would easily understand that he was dealing with an impostor, even if they hadn't been informed of the plan.

It would only make coming Friday easier.

A noise caught his attention as he entered the study, and he walked over to the window to let a bird in. A crow, which he thought strange until he realised who it was from. Mentally approving of the quick reply to the request he'd sent out yesterday, he scanned the camouflaged envelope, which was black and had a bird feather structure printed on it. The sender wouldn't be able to cast curses on it, but one could never be too sure. He did wonder briefly what had become of the owl he'd sent, but when he peered out of the window he saw it sitting in one of the trees, perhaps having kept an eye on the crow.

He sat down at his desk and unfolded it carefully. After having read its contents, he leaned back, thinking for a moment before grabbing a quill and penning down a reply.

* * *

Rita sipped at her tea, peering over the cup with hawk-like eyes at the girl who sat opposite of her. Hermione met her gaze calmly, not at all impressed by the woman, knowing she held more power over Rita than the woman would ever hold over her. "You could go…" she said, raising an eyebrow.

Rita clacked with her tongue. "And give you all the room to stab me in the back when you don't need me anymore little miss? For a Gryffindor, you can be horribly set on what you want… using all means to get it. I am perfectly fine with staying here, where I can watch you."

"Well then." Hermione sighed. "Let's make the best of it and go more into detail about your future articles."

Rita's red painted lips stretched into a grin as her favourite topic was broached, too-white teeth gleaming. "Yes…" she almost purred. "Taking Dumbledore down?"

"Not quite." Hermione replied, sipping her own beverage. The corners of Rita's lips turned down a bit. "I mean, that** too**, but not **now**. I would need to hand you the reports on his memories for that, and I haven't yet spoken to anyone who stands close enough to the Dark Lord to have arranged that. I want you to highlight another topic altogether, which has become a bit buried under all the 'magic will be free for wizards'"

"Oh?"

" Magic will also be free for others… I want you to ignite a fire and spread it through the Wizarding world."

"And what topic do you have in mind exactly?" Rita asked, clearly highly skeptical, but nonetheless rummaged through her bag until she found paper and a quill.

Hermione smirked. "Goblins." she said, her voice sugary sweet. "To be more precise… goblins and wands."

The poison-green quill snapped between Skeeter's suddenly tensed up, rigid fingers.

* * *

Read and Review!  
xx GeMerope


	33. Part II Chapter VIII

In a gesture very unlike her, Hermione paced the room for the tenth time. This had been a bad idea. A very bad idea. She glanced out of the window, anxious for the other to return. That is, provided that Rita wouldn't be into hiding by now.

_I should have just taken the mark. Or bought an owl._

When working for a Dark Lord it wasn't exactly handy to have no way of contacting said Lord. She really needed to speak to the man, or at least to someone who was closer in rank to him and could convey the message. Her head was bursting with all the plans she had, but she had no approval from anyone for any of them, really, as Rita had pointed out. Not that the woman cared much for authority, she had made a sarcastic remark about it, but the words had put Hermione back in her place, or it felt like that at least.

She was a friend of Harry, but that was the only point that made her worthy of being noticed by Him. All her other attributes seemed to slim her chances down. Muggleborn, not yet graduated or even having completed her OWL's, no fighting experience, no contacts in the Wizarding World who could speak for her… she wasn't even an official follower of the Dark Lord… She was book-smart, but as she'd often found out through her adventures with Ron and Harry, that was, while handy, not always enough.

And thus, to gain approval of her plans, she had sent the only one who could reach Voldemort. Skeeter in her beetle-form. It was a desperate move really, because while Rita wanted to sink her teeth into the juicy stories and rile the world up just as much as Hermione did, Hermione wasn't too sure if the woman thought of her as useful or someone who was holding her back. The threat of revealing Rita's secret only worked when the other was near the girl. It would be so easy to just fly away and hide like Lovegood had done…

The girl sat down on her bed, sighing deeply. Rita had been gone nearly a day already, and Hermione didn't think she'd come back. Her head shot up when the door opened, but it was just her mother. The knot in her stomach tightened when she realized she'd have to do without the witty, biting comments of Rita from now on.

"Hey sweetie. Can I come in?"

"Sure." Hermione sighed.

"Is... is** she** gone?"

Hermione tried not to throw her mother an angry glare at the relieved tone. She knew that her parents didn't like to be involved in anything magical, but they hadn't** had** to avoid Rita like the plague.

"She'll be back." the girl said, wrapping her arms around her body, taking a defensive stance.

"Hermione…"

But the witch didn't listen anymore, and merely stared at one of the green quills and the rough draft of several articles they had worked on together.

"She will." she whispered.

* * *

The sunlight fell on one of the windowsills, and an attentive house-elf wiped a bug off the wall, making it fall out of the window. The elf turned around and continued dusting off the ornaments in the living room, not looking back as the bug persistently landed on the ledge again. The sound of footsteps was to be heard, and the small elf disappeared with a loud crack into thin air mere seconds before the master of the house entered, his robes billowing majestically with each of his strides. He turned sharply and sat down on one of the chairs, his long spindly fingers tapping impatiently on the arm rest as he waited for the other to sit down as well, opposite of him.

"Miss Shay." he softly spoke, receiving a slight bow of the head from his guest.

"Lord Voldemort."

"I am pleased that you answered my call so quickly. I must disappoint you however in your assumption of already being hired."

"Ah?" the woman –or girl, really- inquired.

"You are deemed one of the few who is capable of acting out your job, even without magic. **However**, 'capable' is not enough. I do not yet have** proof** that you are able to ensure the safety of the one I want you to protect."

"Through your messages, I gathered that I would not have to deal with other magicians like yourself and my possible future charge?"

"Your possible future** master** already has the best of the best looking after him when magicians are around who could be bearing harmful thoughts towards him. The work I have for **you**, is to both protect him against Muggle threats and serve as someone who gains me the trust of the Muggle government."

"How so?" Shay asked, a confused frown in her words even though her face didn't show it.

"In the Guild, you got into contact with witches and wizards, all of whom were your superior. You had to deal with that because otherwise you wouldn't have survived. The Muggles I am going to approach however, have armies behind them, numbers, a country full of possible enemies. When starting to negotiate with them, I cannot have heavily armed wizards there to protect the ones I want to. It would give a completely wrong message. Another Muggle though, while still a guard, would not be, in their eyes, as dangerous to them. The second point I would like to get across is that I already am working together with Muggles, who also accept wizards as their betters."

Shay's lips straightened slightly at both his mentions of wizards being superior to her, but she wistfully didn't comment on it. Both the occupants of the room knew that the Dark Lord was speaking the truth.

"And how do you wish for me to prove my… capability?"

"If it were anyone else you'd have to guard, I would suggest a trial period, but I will not risk that this time, not with** him**. Therefore, I'm going to give you a… test of sorts."

The girl's eyes narrowed. "I'm listening."

"This evening, we are going to attack the headquarters of one of my greatest enemies. If you can hold your own against great sorcerers, you will be more than competent for the job you really will have to fulfill." Shay stiffened, her eyes wide. "Of course, you will stay close to my side so you will not be in as much danger as my other followers, and I will be able to observe you through the fight."

"I need… time to think on this. I am not planning to throw my life away." she finally said.

"You have one hour. Now, I still have things to prepare for tonight. Tabby!" The elf appeared again, bowing deep. "Keep the lady company and make sure she doesn't touch anything until I return."

"Of course, Master." the creature said, turning its large, green eyes towards the guest, unmoving and not blinking.

The green beetle skittered over the wall and slipped in between the crack of the door right before it closed. "Now, Skeeter." the Dark Lord said, turning around, eyes gleaming dangerously. "You can either change and explain why you are here, or the last thing you see will be a pretty emerald flash." he continued, his voice threatening. A second later, a woman stood before him, her shoulders square in an attempt to look less afraid. His lip curled when she took a quick step backwards and hit the wall as he leaned towards her. "Well?" he inquired.

"I came here with a request." she spoke up, her voice pitched high and breaking slightly.

"Speak."

"One of you followers, Hermione Granger, held me captive for months."

"And now she released you, and the only thing keeping you from going is that she knows your secret and you will be forced to register if she spreads the knowledge?"

"I... how…"

"It is not very hard to figure out," he pointed out. "So, why has she sent you here?"

"She has no other way of contacting you. Sadly, my other form is not suitable to carry messages, so I cannot take any of the articles with me she wanted to ask permission for…"

"Articles?"

"Granger plans to throw… more chaos in, while spreading your beliefs."

"I always did like her brains. Yet, I need something more concrete than that."

"First of all, she wishes for me to write a book about Dumbledore. About his life, his** real** life. For that, though, she needs memories…" she seemed to hesitate, as if realising she had no proof of anything she said. He analysed her voice with suspicion, but could hear no lies in it, and relaxed slightly. "And further?"

"She recently told me that she wants to bring up the point of goblins and wands…" Rita said, grimacing as if she couldn't stomach the idea.

"I've got to give it to her, she knows exactly what to do. Very well, return to her and tell her that she may work on these two issues, but** these two only**. Things are started to tumble down, but I do not wish to be buried under the debris. Concentrate your energy on this and get everything out of it that you can. Now, I do not have more time for you, so this will be goodbye."

"But…"

"No buts." he sharply said, his eyes flashing. "You will do as I command you. Oh, and also…" he said, and made a sign with his hands. A large owl appeared in a red flash, screeching loudly. "I prefer it if my house isn't defiled by bugs. Speaking of which…" He pointed his wand lazily, and Rita fell to the floor, screaming in pain. When he at long last released the Cruciatus curse, it took her a minute to regain her senses and sit up, shaking. "I do not appreciate people sneaking into my house."

"The memories…" she said with a quivering, but persistent voice. the Dark Lord raised one hairless eyebrow at her defiance. Even most of his death eaters would not dare to continue after receiving the torture curse. It was also for this, that he answered at all instead of just throwing her out.

"You will get those after I have seen some result on the issue of goblins. One of my followers informed me of that you are trying to publish in the Quibbler?"

"Yes…"

"I will tell Lovegood to let you. Ah, and speaking of memories…_** Obliviate!**_" Rita stared unfocused at the point of the quickly drawn wand for a few seconds. "It wouldn't do to have you remember my guest…" he muttered, before turning away and quickly continuing his way, leaving the dazed reporter behind him.

The wards shifted slightly a minute after, telling him that the woman had left. "Hermione Granger…" he muttered. He would have to keep an eye on that one. At least she had been so bright to remember asking for permission.

XxX

Shay shifted uncomfortably under the never-ceasing stare of the creature in front of her and let her fingers slide over her hidden daggers again. She had been intrigued when first receiving a letter from no-one less than the Dark Lord, but she was seriously reconsidering the wisdom of coming here. Of course, she knew it would not be an easy job, but she felt that she was ready for it. The test however… She shouldn't have contacted wizards…

She sighed deeply, gazing at the room with contempt after checking her mp3-player -one of the very first ever released- and noticing the magic in this place was fucking it up so much that it wasn't useable anymore. She had no idea how magicians survived with only one popular band…

Long minutes dragged on, in which she tried to avoid the eyes of the elf and think. Was this worth risking her life in such a way? When receiving the first letter from the Dark Lord, she hadn't been able to believe what she saw, and when she had finally processed that it was no joke, she had thanked her luck. Only few Muggle assassins got tasks from wizards, and it was a sign of high respect. It would definitely be good for her career, which had been in a bit of a dip he last… years. Ever since she had gotten into a fight with some of the veterans in the Guild, they had done everything possible to make sure she didn´t get hired anymore, despite being one of the better ones.

However, fighting in a wizard attack as a test…

She sighed again and ran a hand through her loose, smudgy blond hair. If she were honest to herself, there was no way in which she** couldn't** accept this test. Turning down such an opportunity without having even tried it was unthinkable, while, if she succeeded and got the job… Her career might get that huge boost that she desperately needed.

Her mind was made up long before the hour was over, and when the Dark Lord entered again and raised an eyebrow, she merely smiled grimly, stood up and offered her hand.

* * *

Harry looked around, every pair of eyes grim behind their masks. The cold winter wind made him shiver, as did the muddy pools of water he splashed through. Muggle children peeked through the windows before being pulled back by their parents, and Harry could vaguely hear the sirens of the police who tried to come closer but hit a Confundus web every time, ever circling around the area of the fight. It was strange. He had always thought that battles like this were fought in open fields, but here they stood, in dark, narrow streets, waiting for their Lord to give the sign.

They all could see the door, and the small sign with a 12 on it, thanks to the slip of paper the Dark Lord had saved from when it had been given to Lucius in summer. The occupants seemed to have realised that too, apparently, as the door swung open. Harry rose an eyebrow and tightened the grip on his wand as a huge... bubble came out of the door. On a closer inspection, he saw that it was a sort of shield spell, cast by members of the order who hid behind it.

"So, you will fight us here?" a familiar voice barked, and Harry saw Moody, face grim as he watched the Death eaters. "Here, for all Muggles to see?"

"I would have invited you to fight in my back yard, but I really think the house-elves would be upset if your wooden leg trampled the hellebores." Marvolo sarcastically said, and waved his wand, a misty golden haze erupting from it. "And Muggles seeing magic also happens to be one of my main goals. Now, will you hide behind your petty shield forever or will I have to tear it apart myself?"

"You can never win." Moody yelled, and spun around, only to steady himself against the wall a moment after.

"You didn't** really** think we wouldn't seal this place off, did you?" Lucius said in disgust. "We're far from amateurs."

"Malfoy… I knew **you** were evil all along."

Lucius narrowed his eyes. "I refuse to discuss the perceptions of 'evil' with you, or point out how many people you killed or had their soul sucked out because you believed it was just."

Before Moody could reply, the Dark Lord had gotten impatient and spoke a single word that droned through the streets and tore the shield apart as if it were made of paper. The Ex-Auror immediately retaliated, and only narrowly missed a second spell that was thrown his way.

Harry actually trembled with excitement now, the time that they had tortured Umbridge together entering his mind again for some reason. The rows before him started moving, raising their wands as one. Harry's eyes shot to a door that was suddenly slammed closed after a Muggle was nearly hit by one of Moody's 'defensive' spells. Harry wondered if Marvolo could really make Moody think that they would let the Muggles remember all this. It would be very beneficial if Dumbledore felt pushed to act in fear of Muggles spilling all secrets, but in reality, the web that prevented any non-magical being entering or leaving would also deal with their memories after a few hours. As the Muggles they had approached had warned them, the government and press should be accepting wizards if they wanted to have any chance of not having to deal with witch hunts.

And then, the real fight began. Harry had to duck and twist his way through, hindered in his movements by the mass of other fighting people, ally and enemy alike, in the narrow London streets. They spread like wildfire, and Order members ran out of their Headquarters, instantly firing spells. It was pure chaos, and Harry finally understood what Eyolf had warned him for. No duels, no rules… only violence. What none would have suspected though, was that Harry was now thriving on that violence.

He struck Mundungus down, the thief, with satisfaction. The little rat had tried to hide behind a stack of crates to protect himself, but it was of no use. He fell down, bleeding from a large wound in his right leg. Harry hesitated only a moment before striking again, slashing his wand down to cut the wiry neck open as well. He looked over to Marvolo, who was battling both Kingsley and Moody, while trying to maintain a shield spell over a short, blonde woman. The teen frowned, still not knowing what to think of her. Right before leaving, Harry had asked him who she was, but the man had waved it aside, too busy with preparing the attack to answer. Harry also hadn't felt like fishing the answer out of him through their mind link, when it was clear that everything that had been occupying Marvolo's mind by that time would most likely have given the other a killer headache. Still, he didn't exactly like seeing that his lover was giving someone special protection, while he should be focusing on himself.

He didn't have more time to ponder on it when a singeing spell whizzed past his ear, leaving the unpleasant smell of burnt hair behind. He whipped around to face a grim-looking Sirius, and for the first time since the start of the battle, Harry was not glad with the anonymity the Death Eater mask he was wearing gave him. He did not want to battle the man, but he knew that it was unrealistic to hope Sirius wouldn't have been there. It** was** his house after all.

He brandished his wand, pointing it at the other, trying to keep his arm steady as he looked into the piercing grey eyes, that were more lively than Harry had seen them before. The long, dark hair clung to the man's still sunken in, pale cheeks, wet from the rain.

He had expected some of Sirius' typical insults to be thrown towards him before the fight started, but the man surprised him by immediately trying to get him to lose footing. It was only after a few seconds that Harry realised that the man had been an Auror before he'd been condemned to Azkaban. It seemed that his godfather had not forgotten his training. Harry cursed when he was pushed back far too easily, and he knew that it was because he didn't want to hurt his godfather. He looked around, desperate for an escape route, but found none that wouldn't get him into an even worse situation.

Strangely, Moody saved him. Both of them heard the ex-Auror's curse before it hit a target, and both were just as shocked, though Harry somewhat less than Sirius, who had dropped his wand arm and looked at the Order member. The fighting momentarily stopped as Alecto Carrow dropped dead on the ground, only to continue in full force in the blink of an eye. Harry eyed Sirius, who was looking pale and mouthing the curse over and over as if he couldn't believe the words that had been shouted had been real.

Harry couldn't imagine what the man felt at the moment… He only knew that Sirius' beliefs about the Order had shifted in that moment, the moment one of them had uttered one of the Unforgivables in combat, one of the darkest curses, and had went on fighting as if nothing happened, not even reprimanded by the other Order members.

Only when Sirius finally focused on Harry again, did the teen realise that he'd done nothing but look at Sirius for minutes, and he finally found his voice. "Not everything is black and white Sirius." he said. "You might not have seen it till now, but the Light is not as good as you seem to think."

It looked like something clicked in the man's mind, and his eyes widened. "Harry!"

"Yeah, it's me.. I-" Harry started, but never got the chance to finish that sentence.

"They make you** fight**?" Sirius suddenly shouted, blowing up with rage. "How dare he! My godson! In battle!"

"Now wait a minute…" Harry threw in weakly.

"That **bastard**!" Sirius continued, eyes lit up with rage, but after a few more insults Harry finally gathered enough anger and strode over to Sirius to drag him into an alley that wasn't yet filled with burning crates and fighting people. Carefully checking to see if no-one had seen them enter the alley, Harry crouched down and pulled Sirius next to him behind a metal trash bin. He flinched when his godfather lost balance and accidentally pushed Harry against the freezing cold metal while he was trying to find his own balance. Both of them froze for a moment, hoping the clanging noise it had made hadn't been heard. Finally, the teen turned to Sirius again,

"I chose this!" he hissed. "**He** actually wanted me to stay at home but I insisted weeks ago that I wanted to go! And do you honestly think that Dumbledore wouldn't have made me fight for the Order? **Dumbledore**, the biggest manipulator on this planet?"

"He means good…" Sirius protested. "He doesn't always have the right means, but it was** him** who fixed the mess Voldemort made last war!"

"To gain power! Why, **why** are you so **blind**!" Harry hit his fist against the brick wall and winced after that because of his own stupidity, rubbing his sore knuckles with his other hand.

"Harry…"

"We need to talk Sirius." the teen sad, suddenly feeling tired and weary. "Just the two of us. No Order or Dark Lord to interrupt us now… I must admit that the first time we spoke, in summer, I was… too impatient." To avoid looking his godfather in the eyes, Harry fumbled with his mask, taking it off, as he'd noticed the wary glances Sirius kept shooting at him. He studied the pattern, which was unique for every mask, as he waited for Sirius' answer.

"Harry... we never spoke in summer about such things…"

"We did! You just… you wished to forget… And so you were Obliviated" Harry sighed. "But as I said, I went at it the wrong way… I really, really want you to see why I made the choices that I did. Please, give me a chance. I honestly love you, you're the closest thing to a father I could ever have, and it hurts me to see how far we've drifted apart since the first time I met you."

"What, when I was a demon dog who scared the crap out of you?" Sirius grinned, on which Harry rolled his eyes.

"Not quite." he grinned back, and his heart grew lighter at the seemingly carefree moment between the two of them. He'd forgotten Sirius' small habits, and almost took delight in the swearing words the man carelessly threw around. The pure-blood habitat he'd lived in for months now deemed themselves above such vulgar language, and it made Harry feel very out of place whenever Lucius pierced him with an icy look again if he even said as much as 'damned'.

"Alright… I'll give you a chance to explain yourself and will try… not to be too prejudiced. But you have to understand my point of view too… I fled everything Dark when I was young because I saw how wrong it was… how cold and cruel those people where, who put their blood above everything. The Dark broke up friends, family… I lost both James and Peter to it."

"Pettigrew has always been a coward." Harry sneered, angry at the thought of the sniveling rat. Luckily, Marvolo didn't allow the disgusting being in their home anymore with the exception of death eater meetings. Sirius' eyebrows rose, and he gave harry a quizzical look. "What? That I joined the dark doesn't mean that I like every single person on our side… I'm sure it's the same for you. Does** anyone** like Mundungus?" For Sirius' sake, he used present time instead of past, even though he had just slain said man.

"More than Snape…" Sirius huffed. Harry wisely chose not to comment on that.

"So when… when can we talk?" Harry asked, hoping that he didn't sound **too** desperate.

"What about this Sunday?"

Harry bit his lip, thinking. "I have an... appointment in the afternoon, but the evening would be fine."

"Where do you need to go to in the afternoon?" Sirius frowned, and then got a grin on his face. "An appointment… you make it sound so formal. Do you have a date?"

Harry rolled his eyes, his mouth twitching. "No Sirius, it's not a date. I'm just busy that time." He didn't really feel like explaining his trauma at the current moment, in this filthy alley while they could be separated at any given moment if someone decided to run through here.

"Alright, fine, don't tell. But if I find out you've been seeing a girl, you're going to hear about it from me! You're far too young for that, and besides, I haven't even given you my famous tips on how to charm your way through the world yet Harry!" the man joked, obviously thrilled for this moment of peace between the two of them. The teen couldn't imagine how it must've been for Sirius, to suddenly realise that your godson had been with the people he considered enemies all along… But all Sirius' talking about girls made him worried. How would he** ever** get the man to accept Marvolo? His stomach dropped, but Sirius didn't seem to notice. Perhaps Lucius had taught him more already than he'd thought. "Anyways, how will I reach you?" the other asked, oblivious.

Harry frowned. He hadn't thought of that yet. He could hardly give the location of their home away, and he didn't know how to produce a portkey.

While he was still thinking over how to get around those problems, a flash lighted up the alley and they had to hurriedly jump out of the way when the stray spell blew up part of the stones that covered the ground. "It seems we've spoken long enough." Sirius said with worry. "Harry, get out of here, I'll cover you. I know that you say you wanted to be here, but it's my duty as your godfather to protect you. Merlin knows I haven't been doing my job very well till now. Listen up, Dumbledore… prepared something for you. The plan hasn't been fully worked out yet, but it'll happen soon enough. Damned secrecy spells make me unable to tell you anything more but… be careful. Now,** Go**!"

"What about Sundays?" Harry shouted after him as Sirius threw up a shield spell and ran out of the alley, but the man didn't hear him anymore. At a loss of what to do, Harry looked back at the mask, and his face got a grim look before he put it on again. Sirius' intentions of keeping him out of battle were good, but the man's assumptions were wrong. He was not a mere follower, he was supposed to be the Dark Lord's left hand, his betrothed, and he'd be damned if he fled like a coward.

* * *

Read and Review!  
xx GeMerope


	34. Part II Chapter IX

Having thrown himself into the heat of the battle again, despite Sirius' warning, Harry danced around shields and curses, trying to look everywhere at once. The telltale, loud sound of one of the Twins' inventions, a Decoy Detonar, was heard, and the teen used the moment of confusion to burn Kingsley's side with a burst of boiling water. The man screamed out in pain, but Harry didn't have time to wait and see what he would do as two people Harry had never seen before in the Order tried to attack him with thorn-covered ropes that shot from their wands. Only a hastily thrown slowing charm gave him the extra second he needed to escape from them.

He ran into the direction of the sound of the Decoy Detonator, hoping that there would be enough people to fight that his attackers wouldn't pursue him and switch to someone else. It briefly came to mind that that was a horrible thought, hoping someone else was attacked, and he finally really understood what Eyolf had meant when warning him for that he would be on his own, and that he could not count on his comrades to help him. They were too busy to try and stay alive themselves.

A knife slashed down in front of his face, and only his quick Quidditch reflexes made sure that it didn't hit him. However, when he looked up at his attacker, he saw the same woman Marvolo had constantly kept under his shields. Just as he prepared to jam his wand up her throat, he heard a groan from somewhere below him, and he watched, dumb-struck, as the blonde drew back a bloodied knife, which had hit the wand-arm of a man Harry hadn't noticed. If the other hadn't interrupted, he would probably have stunned or worse.

"Thanks," he rasped, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Because of his own carelessness, he had nearly fallen victim to the Order… She nodded curtly and turned her back on him in favour of drawing several throwing knives, which hit the enemy with precision. Harry was impressed by her skill, but was still very suspicious about why there was an obvious Muggle battling with their side. He really needed to speak with Marvolo about this…

Harry scolded himself yet again for what had just happened, and went his own way, trying not to think of it again and pay more attention to his surroundings. He ducked his head and ran away when spotting Sirius, who was being oddly lenient towards the ones he was dueling. Harry wondered if it was because of the face-to-face conversation they'd had earlier, and if his godfather did not want to harm the ones who were on Harry's side in case he was right in choosing his side.

Deciding not to take any more risks, he went towards the heart of the fight, right in the middle of Grimmauld Place. Marvolo's dark magic was swirling around violently. He was careful to stay out of the man's way, as he did not want to distract him from the deadly battle he was currently engaged in, but it made him feel more at ease that his lover was within view.

Harry ducked behind a mass of splintered wood and started working on transfiguring it into glass so he could explode it into his enemies' faces should he need to. His eyes widened when suddenly, he saw a flash of red at the other side of the square. Rage rose in him when seeing both Moody and a woman with curly brown hair, attack his best friend. Seething, he pointed his want at Moody's real leg and sent a curse Rodolphus had taught him, _**Sectumsempra**_, flying towards Moody. He wasn't sure if it would hit, and sure enough, Moody twirled around, both his eyes fixed on Harry as he jumped out of the way.

However, Ron made good use of the confusion to duck under Moody's arm and run towards Harry, turning around quickly when reaching him and throwing up a shield so he wouldn't be hit by a curse from behind.

"Potter." Moody growled, his face twisted into a murderous expression. "Whatever that was, you will pay for it, and wish you would have stayed in the dungeons Voldemort brainwashed you in."

Harry sneered at the man and adjusted his mask, wondering how the Auror had recognised him so quickly. "I finally escaped Dumbledore's strings!" he exclaimed. "I'm not about to be controlled by anyone else. But wouldn't you know all about that? You are the one the old man trusted with the information of his manipulations first and foremost, aren't you?"

"What is he talking about?" the woman frowned.

"All lies Tonks. You know better than to listen to the enemy." Moody barked.

"Tonks?" Harry mumbled, looking at the woman again, now with more interest. She had changed her appearance a great deal since he had last seen her.

"I am not your student anymore Alastor." He heard her hiss. "And lately, I don't exactly agree with your actions and suggestions anymore either!"

"Not** now** Tonks!" he roughly answered, pointing his wand at Harry and Ron again, who were still behind their shields. Harry had taken the opportunity of the quarrel to prepare himself and to scan their surroundings too, and apart from Marvolo and the ones the man was fighting, everyone else seemed to steer clear of the square. Ron, on his side, was jumping from one leg on another nervously, clearly not quite sure whether he should interrupt by attacking, and looked to Harry for directions he didn't get. Only when Harry finally raised an eyebrow at his friend, did Ron's face split into a wide grin.

"Now?"

"Now!" Harry nodded.

The next seconds went by in a flash. Harry threw a '_**Bombarda**_' at the wall above their enemies while Ron tried to stun Mad-eye. Both attacks failed to do a lot of damage to the man, but at least it separated him from Tonks. As they prepared to attack again, however, several things happened at once.

Both of them were pulled back harshly from behind, something he completely hadn't expected due to their shields, a man stormed past and sent a green flash at Moody, who could only dodge it by putting a large piece of rock in between him and the Killing curse, Tonks suddenly seemed to disappear, on a second look having masked her skin with a brick-like pattern, and Harry's head exploded with concern and rage that burst through the link.

He only noticed now that it had been opened again, he hadn't realised before due to Marvolo's magic being everywhere around him already. Even through the pain and confusion though, he somehow managed to turn around in the grip of the one who held him, poking his wand threateningly in a narrow chest.

"Harry!" he heard a distressed voice say, right before he wanted to blast the person apart, and when he looked up, he saw the concerned face of one of the Twins. He though it was Fred, but to avoid ridicule, he wasn't going to take his chances by uttering a name. He took a step back as he was released and hastily threw a look over his shoulder, noticing that Tonks had disappeared for real, and that the Death Eater who had ran past was still battling Moody. He turned back to the Twins, whose concerned expressions didn't suit their blood-splattered faces.

"What are you doing-"  
"fighting Mad-eye?"  
"We know you've trained,"  
"but he's far out of your league!"

Harry grumbled, knowing that they were right, but it wasn't as if he could have left Ron on his own either… "Thanks, I noticed," he said, sulking. He eyed the Twins suspiciously, and especially the transparent bands they both wore over their foreheads. "What's that?" he asked, and both of them grinned, putting the translucent material over their eyes.

"360 degrees vision!" one of them proudly stated  
"See whatever is around you,"  
"Whenever you want, wherever you want!"  
"X-ray version also available!"  
"Or it will be when we finally can get this one to work perfectly."  
"Still a bit buggy,"  
"But we're working on it!"

"You're** testing** products on the battlefield?" harry exclaimed. "Are you insane?"

"No better place than where it's going to be used when finished!" one of the Twins said. "And speaking of irresponsible behaviour on the battlefield..."  
"**We** weren't the ones who nearly got killed."  
"Multiple times."

Harry tensed up, trying to think of something in his defense, but found none, and thus merely stuttered: "You... You saw?"

Both pointed at the bands that were still covering their eyes. "Faulty doesn't mean that it doesn't work."  
"Just not all the time."  
"And they still have some blind spots."  
"Come now, we mustn't get in dear Rosier's way as he blasts Moody to hell."

So it had been Rosier… it made sense, the man had more reason to hate the ex-Auror than anyone else. Ron took his arm and dragged him over to the same pile of wood he'd used to take cover before. Harry somehow felt… happy. It was odd, they were still in the middle of a fight, but he couldn't feel anything but that feel of happiness blooming in his chest. Eyolf had been wrong, he** could** rely on others in battle, for his best friends would always be here, fighting alongside him.

"So, what are we going to do now?"Ron nervously said, absentmindedly trying to rub some of the smudge off his wand and failing, as his hands were covered in splashes of mud.

"Get moving, of course." Harry shrugged, readjusting his mask again. While it fit his face perfectly it still felt odd and constricting against his skin. The other nodded in agreement, and they left their shelter, slipping into one of the near alleys.

It felt so strange, to walk through the battling people with his best friends at his side… In the span of minutes, he'd gone from being a target for every single one of his enemies, to a member of a tight group of four. They could walk wherever they wanted, The Order members were spread throughout the alleys and thought better than to attack four people at once. A highly risky, deadly situation had suddenly turned into a near-secure one. People fled their path instead of attacking them.

"So, Harry… You're the boss," one of the twins joked. –And seriously, they needed to start wearing their mother's hand-knitted sweaters so he would finally be able to tell them apart.

"Well, I'd say we pick someone to fight with… both that is probably not dramatic enough for you hmm? Fred, George… You don't happen to have some fireworks with you? The Death Eater's new trademark sparks haven't seen the sky for quite a long time… "

He was faced with two identical, excited grins. "Yes Sir!"they shouted, and started to dig in the pockets of their robes, pulling large packages out of them. Harry suspected that they had put the same spell on them as their Father had done on the tent during the Quidditch World Cup. At Harry's raised eyebrow, they merely smirked.

"Always be prepared!"

"You're sounding far too much like Moody for my liking."Ron said, but he grinned as well as one of his brothers dumped a loaf of fireworks in his arms.

"Go set this up Ronniekins. And make sure it's good." Ron saluted and sprinted away. Harry watched him with concern, wondering if he didn't need someone to guard his back. The twins, however, took his arm and steered him away. "Don't worry Harry."  
"Ron can look after himself."  
"We've trained him from birth,"  
"After all."

They ducked behind a low wall, but just when the first sparks shot up in the air, Harry's mind seemed to get a harsh blow. He grabbed his head and groaned, clenching his eyes shut. It felt as if his brain was swimming, and he gasped. He wasn't aware of the four eyes that regarded him with concern as he took a few wobbly steps forward and gripped his wand tightly. A sharp pain shot through him again, but he knew it wasn't his.

"**Marvolo**!" he wheezed out, realisation suddenly making him forget the pain. It took all his strength, but he pulled himself together and spurted away, ignoring the twin's cries behind him, calling him back. His heart pounded in his ears as cold fear made his stomach turn. They had slowly drifted away from the square, and now he ran and pushed his way back until he reached it. Later, he couldn't recall how he had survived the many stray spells, although the scared, Muggle onlookers would have nightmares for months after about the fearsome, masked teen rushing past, Emerald eyes shining with madness, darkness crackling around him, serving as a shield, sending everything that hit it, flying back.

He finally reached the square again and nearly doubled over by the sight he was met with. He still looked every bit the powerful Dark lord he was, but nonetheless, it was clear that he was wounded. The blood that soaked Marvolo's black robes was, for once, not solely of his enemies. A quick glance at the rest of the muddy square told Harry that he'd probably fought half the Order at once. He was surprised by the sheer numbers of corpses. He had not expected the Order to grow this fast. He had met nearly all members during summer, but now he only recognised one out of ten faces. The only ones he saw among the deceased he recognised were, Dedalus Diggle and, surprisingly, Trelawney.

There was still a large group that was trying to take the leader of their enemies out, and they seems to have finally pushed him against a wall. It was strange to see, one man against about fifteen of which half was looking as if they were pissing their pants. Rage suddenly bloomed in his chest, and he ran towards them, pointing his wand at the nearest wizard. "_**Crucio!**_" he yelled, watching as the red beam slammed into his victim's side. A few people made the mistake of taking their eyes off Marvolo and instantly fell, whips of fire wrapped around their necks.

"_**Incendio**_, _**Sectumsempra**_, _**Lacrima**_!" he shouted, firing curse after curse, creating panic. Marvolo wasted no time by looking at Harry, and instead pressed both his hands against the wall behind him, which seemed to come alive, forming a giant stone golem. It heaved a large fist and smacked the people in front of it down, after which it proceeded to hammer on them. Harry grimaced. While he was now pretty used to violence, he didn't exactly enjoy seeing someone's head burst open.

Finally, silence fell over them, and Harry rushed to his love's side, who sank to his knees, panting heavily, arms trembling.

"Are you alright?" The teen muttered, taking in the gashes with concern.

"I'll live." Marvolo grunted, cracking his neck. Harry thought it was ridiculous how arousing every one of the man's movements was, even in the current situation. "Thank you for coming." he stated, and Harry blinked in surprise, not having expected it. He'd thought Marvolo's pride wouldn't have allowed for sentiments.

"You're welcome," he answered, smiling, laying his hand on the man's face. "Should I go search for someone who can heal you?"

"No, I'll do it myself," the other said, shaking his head. "Besides, I think it is time to finish this. I doubt many members of the order are alive now, and we do need** some** to tell dear Albus what happened." He pointed his wand at himself, the tip glowing green as he started to heal his wounds. Harry looked around to check their surroundings, but no more enemies were to be seen. He suspected that all members who dared to cross the Dark Lord had already done so, their blood now mixing with the puddles of rain.

"Where do you think all of them came from?" Harry said, worried, gesturing at the corpses. "I know it's still holidays, but they couldn't have had a hundred of Order members stationed in the headquarters… The anti-apparition and anti-portkey fields are flawless… And yet, there seemed to come more and more into the fight."

"I suspect they may have a fireplace connected to the Floo network." Marvolo ground out, obviously displeased. As it is within the Fidelius charm, the anti-travel fields don't cover it, even though it is within it. A blind spot if there ever was one. I had hoped Dumbledore wouldn't have dared to connect it to the Floo network… If the Ministry were to ever discover it, he'd be in** deep** trouble."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Well, there is another point we have against him then."

"Indeed…" the man grinned. "Now, I'm finished… And was it just me or did I see fireworks earlier?"

"Fred and George." Harry nodded. '" Well... plus Ron and I," he added in afterthought.

"Why am I not surprised," Marvolo sighed.

Harry ignored it, and instead asked: "How will you put a halt to the fighting?"

"Simple." the man said, revealing his left arm and pressing the fingers of his right hand to the skin. It shimmered and black ink seemed to seep from under his finger pads, curling over his arm.

"Is that…" Harry asked, shocked.

"It was the easiest way. I can't always keep a servant around just so I have a mark to call my followers with." Marvolo said, removing his fingers, after which he took his wand and pressed the tip of it against the now revealed mark. "I marked myself shortly after resurrecting myself. I don't usually use it though."

"I didn't even know you had one…" Harry muttered, staring at it in fascination. The contrast of the black ink against the ivory skin made for a perfect artwork. It glowed up slightly as he called his followers, and immediately covered it up again as the first Death Eaters came running towards them, some pushing their victims in front of them or holding them in place with spells. Not many looked to have made it. Of the roughly hundred enemies, Harry counted only six survivors, Sirius thankfully one of them. He felt his godfather's eyes on him, but refused to look him in the eyes as he stood proudly next to his fiancé.

_Don't worry about him Harry. If you really think there is a chance to talk sense into that man, I am willing to let you try once more… However, if you fail this time, I will waste no time in putting him back in Azkaban once this war is over, if he even makes it that far._

_You ordered your followers to not kill him?_

_Once I opened our link again, I saw your memories of your conversation with him. Also, I am proud of you that you took responsibility and went back to fighting again._

Harry tired not to beam at that, or do something stupid like hug the man. He didn't think it would currently be appreciated, although he would love to see Lucius' face if he did that. He let his gaze travel over the captured Order members. He wondered who had managed to escape and who was dead…

He froze when his eyes landed on two red-haired people wrapped in ropes. His eyes shot to Ron and the Twins, who had appeared again as well, and saw their eyes were fixed on their parents. He truly felt for them… he had no idea how they managed to hold back from trying to free them. He knew that they were dedicated to the Dark now, but they had always been a very tight family, and he could only imagine how hard it must be to end up on different sides of the battlefield.

_Marvolo… what will you do with the survivors?_

_I only need one to inform Dumbledore, if he hasn't already been notified through the Floo. I already promised to let Black go free._

_But…_

_Harry, this is war. I can't save every one of my enemies because their family are among my members. You should know that._ the man reprimanded him, even his thoughts sounding cold._ Believe me, if there was any chance of getting to the Dark… but do you honestly think there is hope for that? They have followed Dumbledore even since the first war._

_Their children could be convinced… Can't you… I don't know... imprison them? Try to get information while maybe the Twins try to talk sense into them…_

Marvolo sighed, closing his eyes and breathing in slowly through his nose to retain his patience.

_This time, Harry, and only these two. You have two weeks._

Harry nearly gaped at him._ Honestly?_

_Is it not enough_? Marvolo grumbled.

_No... I mean… thank you. Really._

_Anyone other enemies you want to save?_ The man sarcastically bit, and Harry tried not to wince at the venom in those words. He felt slightly guilty and looked away from his lover's burning red, slitted eyes.

"That was it." He murmured. He looked at the other captured people, meeting the eyes of professor Sprout and a women he thought might be Emmeline Vance. it was ridiculous that his hero-complex came to the surface at this moment…

"My followers!" Marvolo shouted, instantly having everyone's attention. "Today, we triumphed… again. We have given them warnings, we have tried to change their views, but they still stubbornly hold on to the 'safety' secrecy and restrictions bring them. Not anymore… if they will not listen to our words, they shall perish! Lucius!"

"Yes, my Lord?" the man asked, stepping forward and removing his mask, blond hair now dirty and tangled.

"Execute the remaining survivors. **However**, I need some for information and one to tell the old fool what has happened here and... stress our points. Mr and Mrs Weasley are to be brought to my dungeons for interrogation… And Black… let the dog run." he concluded. "I shall return to my home. Rabastan, McNair, Greengrass… You shall enter the headquarters of the Order to see if there are valuable dark artifacts, and close the possible floo connection. There are still about forty minutes before the shields will collapse."

The three Death Eaters bowed slightly and hurried to the wide-open door of Grimmauld place twelve, which half hung out of its hinges. Marvolo made a hand gesture to the remaining Death Eaters, who retreated, most likely to find one of the weak spots in the wards they had guarded before to ensure none of the Order's reinforcements had been able to escape.

They too, started moving towards the ward. Harry frowned his brows and looked over his shoulder when he felt something, but shrugged it off as he was pulled through the ward by Marvolo, after which they disapparated instantly, neither noticing the movement near Harry's robes.

* * *

Stretching his back, he looked out over his herd with concern. They were moving slowly. Far too slowly. It had been only days since he had received a letter of his mother, which had brought to his attention the current state of the Wizarding world. War had already broken out. Even before her letter had arrived though, he had been on the move already, travelling slowly but steadily to Britain. He extremely relieved that his mother had not used Errol, for the old owl would have never been able to find him.

He calculated the distance they had left behind them the past weeks and groaned. The start had been fast, but ever since the family of Steambellies had joined them, their progress had slowed considerably. They were fast when flying, but their walking seemed more like crawling. And yet, flying was hardly an option, not since they had left the wilderness. The herd was simply too large to go unnoticed by Muggles. There were still mountains, but the valleys in between were numerous Muggle villages.

They moved about eighteen hours a day, hunting along the way, and even so, they were going far too slow. Exactly fourteen days had passed since they had decided to move, but they should have been at their current point two days ago…

A surge of air hit his back, and he had to fight to remain his balance. "Xaphia." he murmured, and the familiar, dark blue snout came to rest at his shoulder. "What should I do? We're not fast enough… With this pace the war will be over when we arrive. it'll take another month to reach Hogwarts like this. And I still don't know how we will ever pass the channel unnoticed. We move like a group of Muggle hikers…" Xaphia snorted loudly, clearly disdained. "That you don't like it doesn't mean it isn't true." Charlie said, amused. The dragon whined and put his strong paws around the man, pulling Charlie against the plated chest that resembled polished onyx. "Yes, yes, I know, I should sleep." Charlie sighed. "Have to get up again early tomorrow…"

he turned his back on the dragons, who were resting in the valley below, and snuggled up to Xaphia's warm body as the dragon lay down. Charlie used his own hair to protect his face from the rough scales, but unlike the other days, he had trouble catching sleep. Worries were flying through his mind, along with possible solutions for them, most of which were disregarded instantly. He tried not to move, even though he was restless, to not keep Xaphia from his sleep, but it was hard. his brain just didn't let him get any rest.

He pressed his eyes close tightly in a futile attempt to sleep, which obviously had no other effect than to make his eyes itch. Just when he was about to give up on sleeping and get up again though, a memory drifted to the surface of his mind. A memory of his father, working on his Ford Anglia, trying to get it to fly, trying to enchant it to make it…

Invisible.

The idea was a mixture of brilliance and idiocy, and he honestly had no idea whether to feel jubilant or depressed. On one hand, it would solve all his problems, but on the other.. his chance to succeed in doing it were minimal. Invisibility fields were very hard to maintain, and it had been one of the things his father had excelled in. And even so, Arthur had never cast it over more than one object, and even that one had, apparently, failed a few years after it had been set up. Charlie did not need it to hold for years… but he** did** need it to hold over either an impossible large area, or about eighty individual small ones. The last held more merit, as it would, he thought, be easier to maintain, but that would render the dragons invisible to his own eyes as well.

It seemed he would need to create a piece of magic that had probably never been done before. A giant, moving invisibility ward keyed to himself.

* * *

"You seriously should have an apparation spot within the house." Harry grumbled, looking at the iron gates in front of them and the long path behind it that led to the manor. They swung open as Marvolo placed his hands against the bars, the metal lighting up slightly. "How come your death eaters **can** apparate into the house?"

"They can't. Travelling through the Mark is another way of travelling altogether. It's like a forced Portkey, although they can use it themselves as well. It's not apparation, and it's keyed to me, not the house. They can't come here if I'm not here either. Protective measures… Although, as you know, the anti-apparition wards are also not absolute in our home. We can apparate to outside of the wards once we're in them and I could also apparated us inside as soon as we step through this gate."

"No, leave it... I can walk a few more yards." Harry sighed. His head throbbed a bit, most likely because of a combination of blood loss and exhaustion. Something else seemed to be amiss as well, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. They finally reached the door and quickly crossed the hall, which was, to his dismay, filling with Death Eaters as soon as they arrived. Why didn't they just go home like they'd been told to do…? He took Marvolo's hand and squeezed it before letting go again. "I'll go upstairs to take a shower," he said, and turned around after his lover nodded and turned away.

Not wanting to attract attention of one of the Death Eaters, he decided to take the next flight of stairs, which ended nearer to their room anyways. But after a minutes he changed his mind , deciding some more fresh air might be nice. It had finally stopped raining, and the night sky was clear. He turned left, towards an open corridor.

But then, Harry instantly stopped in the middle of the corridor, shivers running down his spine. The same feeling he'd felt from just before they had apparated away and afterwards in the garden had become stronger. It was not magic, he was sure of that, but rather, it was the exact same feeling he had had years ago when he had been sitting in the front garden on a summer's day, the same day he'd seen Dobby's green eyes for the first time, staring at him from inside of the hedge. It was the feeling of someone's intense gaze at him that currently made the hairs on the back of his neck raise, and it didn't help that he did not hear or see anything except his own breath, which formed small puffs in the cold air.

He turned around abruptly, his wand at the ready, but he did not see anyone or anything that could be giving him this uncomfortable feeling. Narrowing his eyes, he casted a Lumos, but even that didn't show him anything. Deciding there was no way that he was just going to turn around and continue on his merry way, he wracked his brain for the correct spell, a small sigh of relief escaping him when he recalled it.

"_**Homunum Revelio**_!" he shouted, and he instantly became aware of a person, not two yards away from him, who cursed and tried to sprint away. His Quidditch reflexes kicked in however, and not a second later, ropes wrapped around the person's ankles and made them trip. "Tabby!"he called out, and instantly, the elf appeared, bowing low.

"Master Harry?" Harry blinked, having forgotten again that, ever since he got engaged with Marvolo, the elves had gained a new-found respect for him, and addressed him with 'Master'. Harry had told Marvolo that he didn't want to be called that, on which the man had replied that he had not ordered it, but that the elves had changed Harry's title themselves. The teen supposed he would just have to get used to it.

"Tabby, go get… your Master." He'd wanted to say 'Marvolo', but thought better of it at the last moment, not wanting to let whoever it was that he'd caught, more than necessary. When the elf had popped away again, Harry carefully approached the person, who appeared to be a woman. Her breath was surprisingly calm, and she wasn't struggling in her bonds, which showed Harry that she had some training, and had enough sense to know that trying to escape was currently impossible.

Harry bowed over the figure and first removed the wand, which had thankfully rolled on the floor, behind the woman's back, instead of near her hands, and then turned her face around, frowning when he did not recognise her. "What is your name?" he harshly asked, prodding his wand against her neck. She gulped, but didn't open her mouth, and merely glared at him. "I am not against using less than nice means to loosen your tongue, and the Dark Lord is also on his way." He growled, pissed that she showed no reaction. After a few seconds of silence however, her mouth finally cracked into a grin.

"You really think that Voldemort will care about me following you, Harry? Since when does he pay attention to what happens to his minions?"

"Since his elves address me with 'master'" Harry hissed at her. "And so do his 'minions'. And as I'm sure you've noticed, I was the only one who arrived her** with him**. That should tell you** something**."

He shivered when he heard a low whooshing sound behind him, and suddenly felt Marvolo's presence a lot closer. He always admired the man's near-silent apparition, a sign that clearly showed his power. "Tabby told me that you caught an intruder?" he growled in a deep voice that sent shivers down Harry's spine. Damn it, why did his love have to be so damn distractive all the time with everything he did?

He mentally groaned when the man threw him an amused look. With the many times their link had been closed over the past days he'd nearly forgotten that it was wide open now. Which did make him wonder why Marvolo hadn't come here on his own, before the elf had told him.

_I was in the middle of a conversation. I could hardly leave without a reason._

_Since when do you need a reason for anything?_

_Since the conversation was not with one of my followers, but an important figure in the Wizengamot who could very possibly be swayed to our side. Also, it would not be very beneficial if the one you captured would guess that we can speak mentally. In the small chance that she manages to escape.. it would be disastrous if it reached the old fool's hairy ears._

Harry hummed, although he did wonder what a Wizengamot member was doing here at this hour… and how he arrived, as they'd only been back for minutes. Once more he looked at his enemy who was lying still on the floor. Marvolo crouched down next to her and tightly gripped her hair, forcing her to look him in the eyes. "Well, I won't waste my time pulling answers out of you…_** Legilimens**_."

The woman screamed the instant he dived into her mind, and through their link, Harry got strange flashes. Different scenes, different people, and it seemed that the woman herself was not in them once… how strange.

Marvolo released her suddenly, and she only barely managed to cover her head with her arms so it didn't slam against the floor.

_Harry, go take your shower, I need to do something. After, come to the small living room opposite of my study._

Not even hoping to get more information, Harry just nodded and turned, not even casting a last glance at the women. The only thing he desired now more than anything was a good scrub to get the blood off of him.

* * *

Trying his hardest to keep silent, Harry gnashed his teeth together when the first sight he saw when entering the room was a blond, short woman who casually leaned against the wall. It was the first time he actually had time to study her, but he refused to pay more attention to her than necessary. He knew it was probably a tad ungrateful, seeing as she had saved his life, but** why** did Muggle women seem to flock around his fiancé?

Said man swooped dramatically into the room, giving Harry the urge to roll his eyes. He suddenly noticed movement, and watched in shock as the couch seemed to come alive. On closer inspection, he saw it was the woman he'd captured earlier, whose skin had the same colour as the couch she had been curled up on. His mind flashed back to the fight, when something similar had happened.

"Tonks," he muttered, and eyes that turned to a pale blue fixed on him.

"Took you long to figure out." She replied.

"I hadn't thought an Auror would be stupid enough to try and sneak into the Dark Lord's home." He airily answered her, and he gave her a sarcastic smile. "Especially not after a raid we completely won, leaving those who remain of the Order, to pick up the pieces."

"Not even a third of the Order was there," she said. "This headquarters has only sparsely been used since it's clear that you went over to the Dark side. There were only six people there today to guard it, the rest was backup they called from one of the new locations, but not even all of them."

"**They**?" Harry sharply asked, emerald eyes piercing hers, while at the same time trying to process that the Order had apparently grown exponentially over the course of... what, weeks? As they'd now killed about a hundred, that left two hundred, but who knew how fast people would join again and strengthen Dumbledore's forces.

"Harry, I believe that I need to update you on a few things. "First of all, Ms Tonks has had doubts about the Order ever since she saw my speech. Also, Dumbledore had appointed her as the key figure in his feeble plan to regain your trust, by using her Metamorphmagus skills as the tool he needed, seeing as how Polyjuice potion is useless with me. I do not grow hair or shed skin like normal humans, and my nails are... fairly hard to retrieve without being killed."

"You said before that you didn't often agree with Moody anymore…" Harry hesitantly said.

"True, he and Dumbledore schemed a lot of things that I did not think were much alike what they told the rest. I was only clued in because Moody hoped that I would help him, as I have been his apprentice during my Auror training and always got along well with him. But going behind everyone's backs to manipulate the Ministry by using Order members to infiltrate it and secretly change laws? Fudge disappeared recently, but because Dumbledore does not have a suitable candidate, other than maybe Kingsley, who would get a significantly less amount of votes than other candidates who are likely to try, he is trying to pull so much power to himself so he can cancel the election altogether under the guise of 'the chance of unfair elections'."

Harry tried not to choke in his own laughter at that. Light witch indeed. The first thing Lucius had taught him about politics that it was a game, one filled with manipulations, and the only hope for winning was through having the right connections, not the right intentions. Marvolo and he had actually not discussed the upcoming elections yet, but Harry thought that it was high likely that the Dark Lord would put Lucius forwards. The man would jump the chance to try and redeem himself in the eyes of his Lord, and climb up the ranks again. While he had made a lot of mistakes recently, Harry knew that Draco's father was one of the most slippery and influential men among their ranks. Even though the Dark Lord had put him back in place, many younger Death Eaters looked up to the once-right-hand-man of their Lord for guidance.

"Well, we can't have that." Marvolo smoothly said, his poker-face not betraying the wild laughter Harry heard echoing through their link.

"Also... I feel used." Tonks continued. "No matter how many times we hold meetings, it always ends up with only Dumbledore's opinion really counting. I did not want to trick Harry back to the Light. If our Side was honestly **good**, he would come back himself in time. I also told Dumbledore this, but he left me no choice."

"So you created your own choice." The other woman spoke up suddenly, a calculating look on her face. "Admirable."

Irritation flooded through him, and surprisingly, it was not solely his own.

"I hired you to watch,** not** to speak."

_Hired?_ Harry asked. _For what? Isn't she a Muggle?_

_I'll tell you later love. There are more pressing matters at hand._

Harry accepted it reluctantly, shifting his attention to Tonks again. "So you followed me after the fight… What are you hoping to accomplish now?"

"I don't know… I… I know that staying Neutral is never an option. The regular witches and wizards have not yet noticed much change since the war started, but I know better, this night's raid only proves my point. I've had doubt about the Order for a long time now, and also about the Ministry… I suppose I thought it was time to push my upbringing aside and see what you had to offer. If even your once worst enemies are loyal to death to you now, it certainly has to be a lot better than during the first war… If what you promised in your speech before is true… then I agree to many of your points."

"It is." Harry proudly stated. "Every word he said was true." Then, he turned to face his lover with an amused smile. "You know, at the rate we're gaining people, in a month or two you might not have to fight anyone but Dumbledore and Moody."

"Only Dumbledore then…" Marvolo answered with dark amusement. "Rosier finally got his revenge."

"Moody is dead?"Both Harry and Tonks asked in shock, briefly looking at each other before looking back again.

"Yes. I had the proof handed to me."

While he didn't go more into that, Harry did receive an image of a Bloody, wildly spinning eye that was held in between two thin, white fingers. Harry inclined his head.

"You only ever expressed your doubt towards Moody." Marvolo abruptly stated. "Are you aware of whether or not he shared that information with Dumbledore?"

Tonks shook his head. "I don't, but I am inclined to believe that he kept it to himself. While he sucked up every drop of information Dumbledore gave him, he himself has always been much more secretive. He might have first wanted to verify what side I really approve of, perhaps trying to put me in place, before word ever reached Dumbledore."

"Good. Very good , but I will get rid of some disillusions you might have this instant. While tasks are… discussed individually with me, you don't have any more say over what I want you to do than you had in the Order. **How** you will reach your set goal, however, is up to you, as long as it is reached. I trust that you are capable of making your own plans rather than handing you a precise road to follow."

Tonks nodded. "That precise road was exactly why I despised Dumbledore's plans… He could have given me the task of trying to get Harry to trust in the Light again… I could have tried multiple things without tricking him into it, but the Headmaster didn't want to hear of it."

"Not that any of your plans would have succeeded in** that**."

"You never know," Tonks smirked.

"If this is your attempt to get in my good graces," Marvolo icily bit out, "then it's not working. I will allow for nothing to come in between Harry and I, and be assured of that nothing you would have tried** would** have succeeded." The woman froze, startled by the violent reaction to her jest, and Harry's stomach filled with a warm, fluttering feeling at the clear possessiveness. "Do you understand?"

Tonks nodded mutely.

"Very well then. Remain in the Order, try to not let him notice a thing. I will not Mark you like my other followers… Spies are uncovered far too quickly with a Mark burned on their arm, no matter how many benefits it brings for me. Instead, I will give you a one-way Portkey through which I can call you if I need to. You can deactivate the call in case the timing is very bad for you, but it will be painful, so you shall think twice before doing so without reason."

Harry was surprised by the order, wondering if Tonks had in any way said that she already wanted to start working for them, but when he played the conversation over in his head, he found that it would have come down to this anyways, whether Marvolo had spent another hour discussing this or not, and he figured his lover had other places to be, so shortly after the raid. It worried him, really. Marvolo didn't show any signs of it, but he was bound to be exhausted, having been up for nearly twenty hours.

_Don't worry so much._ He heard a grumpy voice, and he pressed his lips together tightly.

_You need sleep._

_So do you, and you don't see me sending you to bed. I have business to finish and will not rest till it is done._

Sighing because of the man's sheer unmanageability, Harry gave up, knowing that nothing he'd do would decrease Marvolo's stubbornness.

Tonks didn't really show any outward signs of surprise either, and instead got up, her face weary, before she slowly sank to her knees in front of her new Lord. Harry thought was being a tad dramatic about it, looking as if she had just sold her soul to the devil.

Judging by the wicked grin that spread on Marvolo's face while Tonks' head was bowed though, maybe she had.

* * *

Harry had, in the end, gone to bed rather quickly after Tonks had been sent on her way back to the Order. He'd been incredibly tired, but only noticed it as his back hit the soft mattress and the adrenaline left his limbs, leaving them nearly impossible to lift again. He instantly fell asleep, so exhausted that he didn't even dream, and neither did he wake up when his lover finally came to bed, nearly half a night later, robes and skin alike smeared with blood.

When he woke up, the stench of blood was still what dominated the room, but even so, Harry couldn't find it within him to move… Saturday… it was a blissful Saturday, and his schedule was empty for once.

A hand suddenly grabbed his neck and he yelped as he was pulled into a rough kiss.

Well, maybe not so empty after all.

* * *

Read and Review!  
xx GeMerope


	35. Part II Chapter X

"So, I suppose it is time for both of you to properly meet." Marvolo said while sitting down at the table.

A plate with toast and eggs instantly appeared, and without batting an eyelash the Dark Lord casually started eating his breakfast while the woman, who was still standing next to the table, eyed the plate suspiciously. Harry sat down next to the man and also started eating as pancakes with melted chocolate appeared in front of him, and completely ignored the disapproving look his lover gave him. Instead, he gazed at the woman, hoping it didn't look too much like glaring. 'Subtly', he placed his hand on top of Marvolo's, lightly stroking the skin. The blonde raised an eyebrow at the movement, and it looked like something clicked in her head before she guarded her expression again. Lips curling into a satisfied smirk, Harry continued eating, sending an image through the link of chocolate dripping over something completely unrelated to pancakes.

Marvolo grabbed his hand and looked him in the eyes, eyebrows raised, a mixture of arousal, amusement and irritation flowing through the link. "Harry, this is Shade. She was recommended to me by your previous guard and teacher."

"You don't mean…" Harry said, pulling a face when thinking of Eyolf's horrible lessons. He scowled when Marvolo confirmed it. "Then... she is an assassin?"

"Yes."

"A **Muggle**!"

"I can't exactly surround you by wizard assassins when we're going to negotiate with the Muggle Government."

Harry's scowl deepened. "I don't** need** bodyguards."

"I beg to differ. It seems she saved your life on the last raid… which we **will** be speaking about later." Harry's glare only grew worse when he saw one of the woman's eyebrows subtly lift. He grudgingly told himself to at least give her a chance, but both 'assassin' and 'Muggle' didn't really fit his idea for a person he wanted to be around. Then again, there were times Eyolf had been nice... and there were also Muggles like Hermione's parents, who weren't that bad…

"I suppose I shall leave you alone to… talk." Marvolo said as he finished his food and stood up. He walked to the open doors, turning around on the threshold. "Try to not insult each other. Harry, be nice, and Shay, don't forget he is your master, **not** your charge." With that, he left.

Harry breathed out slowly, poking his fork in his food, pondering on Marvolo's last words. It seemed that this time he was supposed to be more than just a 'project' for his new bodyguard. A very nice change… He peeked up to Shay, seeing that her pale blue eyes were scanning the room, her posture as tense as Eyolf's always was. It seemed it was something that was branded into their very beings during training. He was very surprised to hear that the Guild also had Muggles. From what he heard from Eyolf, he's thought an institute for magicians only. After all, Muggles had many disadvantages, so why choose a Muggle over any wizard or witch?

He followed her look, his gaze falling on all the dark spots in the ill-lit room. He only noticed now how dark it really was in here. It had struck him as odd when he first arrived, but he'd slowly gotten used to that most rooms were so dark. Only the ones connected to the outside walls had windows in them, but the meeting and dinner room did not. Instead, a large hearth and some torches on the walls illuminated the space and scarce furniture in it. He could understand that the woman might not be feeling very at ease here.

"So…" he spoke up, feeling a bit awkward. "I suppose I'll have to thank you for earlier."

"It was my duty." she answered with a tight smile.

Silence fell over them again, and moments seemed to trickle by more slowly than should be possible. "Do you have any idea what you exactly have to do?" he asked, curious. "I mean, will you have to constantly hang around, or train me, or only accompany me if I need to go out or what?"

"I shall accompany you when you go meet other non-magical people, like me, or if there are no other wizards available to protect you when dealing with magical people or creatures."

"Do you also hate the Guild?" he asked. "And please, sit."

She blinked, a bit thrown off. "I'd rather keep standing." she curtly said. "And for your other question... it looks like you know more of the Guild than most people… Yes, I hate it. I am surprised to hear that your previous guard also did though. Eyolf** is** one of the highest ranked members. Wizard, gifted, his teacher's darling…" she bit out.

Harry raised his eyebrows, not sure how to react on her clear dislike for his former teacher. "Well, he told me bits about it yeah, and he made it clear on multiple occasions that, while he thinks the Guild is necessary, he'd loved to have lived a normal life…"

"Necessary…" she somberly muttered. "He would say that."

"You don't agree?"

"They always say that this, training the people who are up to it, is a good way to prevent outright war where innocents are slaughtered. Maybe it is so… but that cannot be a morally just excuse to kidnap children and train them to kill. Now, I don't want to speak of the Guild anymore. I angered quite a few people there with 'rebellious and revolutionary opinions,' and am sort of banished from it, though the strings of my life are still in their hands."

"I'm sorry… You may not believe me, but I know how it is to be raised to hunt or be hunted…" Harry answered her.

"I don't need your attempts of understanding," she harshly said. "You, a wizard, could never understand what I went through in that hell, what I'm still going through."

Harry gritted his teeth. "You're wrong." he replied. "You are assuming that my life was great because I had magic? I may not know a lot about you, but I'm at least trying to understand you! You know nothing about my life, about who I am or what I had to deal with, and you're not even trying! I'll rely on you for my protection, because I know you won't dare to fail your job, but unless your attitude changes, I don't think we'll ever get along!"

He brusquely rose and turned around, striding towards the door.

"I still don't know my new 'master's' name." she mockingly yelled after him.

He turned around, jaw tight as he looked at her. "The name's Harry. Harry James Potter."

He left the room, not seeing her arrogant, fearless mask crumble to an expression of shock before she cursed, running after him.

"Wait!"

"I have nothing more to say to you."

"You're Potter. Harry Potter. As in actually,** the** Harry Potter?"

He faced her once more, raising an eyebrow. "What's it to you?"

"I'm sorry.' she hastened to say. "The Dark Lord wanted such protection for you.. I thought you were some snobbish pureblood kid… I couldn't have been more wrong. Your deeds are known everywhere…"

"I don't even remember anything of the night I defeated him, I was a baby, and frankly, I don't care. goodbye." he started to make his way upstairs, sighing in irritation as he heard her quick footsteps following him and passing him so that she blocked his way.

"Breaking the teacher's security in Hogwarts and snatching the stone of life away in front of your enemy, just because you thought it was just… Defeating a Basilisk single-handedly, not to be heroic, but to save your best friend's sister. Finding your inner strength to save those you loved time and time again, always at least trying to find another way than death… And above all, you set a slave free from the bonds of his cruel master." Harry looked with shock as her eyes shimmered brightly with a mixture of excitement and joyful tears. "I didn't know it was you… I didn't know… God, you've been my hero the past few years! The one who fought, not for the violence, or because he was told to, or for your own gain, but for the justice and for the freedom and lives of others."

"I didn't realize you'd heard of me…" Harry muttered. "Aren't you a Muggle…?"

"Well, yes, but the Guild was one of the few –maybe the only- place where both Wizards and Muggles trained alike. Or well, **alike** might not be the best words… We are very much looked down upon by all magicians, no matter that we had it harder. No magic, and still expected to do the same things…" her voice trailed off, and she shook her head. "But I doubt you'd be willing to hear of my past tragedies," she muttered.

"I don't mind," he answered, giving her a weak smile. "I have heard bits about the Guild, and it both sickens and intrigues me. And also.. if what you say is true, then the Assassin's guild is the only example we have of a place where magical and non-magical people live together. Weren't you frightened when you were shown that such a thing as Magic existed?"

"Of course I was…" she nearly whispered. "It was beyond my wildest dreams. But it was also very painful to see that there was something so wonderful in the world, and yet I was forced to only watch others use it, for I had not been born blessed. On the other hand, in those first years, I saw magic as nothing else than harmful. The only magic I ever witnessed back then were new ways to kill or magic used to ease the hunt before the kill or the cleaning up after. Only when I had finished my training and was allowed back into the outside world on my own, did I see that magic had so many other purposes."

"Magic can be a wonderful thing… but also a terrible one," the teen agreed with her, bowing his head to let his hair fall into his eyes, obscuring his hard look from view. "But so can Muggle techniques and technology be. or even Muggles themselves. It all depends on the one who wields the power given to him."

"How did you end up here, under the protection of… well… your parents' murderer? he seems rather protective of you."

"Over-protective, I'd say," Harry grinned, fondly. "but I don't mind too much, even though I'll never tell him so and will do my best to fight every time he feels the need to add another layer of security. I know he's doing it to protect me, but it can be quite… constraining sometimes. Whenever he's not personally around or in my head, he has people following me. I don't even think he cares that I know about that."

"From what I saw on the battle-field, you do need someone to watch your back," she frowned.

"I must admit that I am not very well accustomed to battles like that yet. I've dueled, but usually only one-on-one. Last battle was completely new to me."

"That's not an excuse to refuse help and nearly lose your life."

"And as you saw, I did** not** refuse help," he stated, raising an eyebrow. "For a Muggle, you held your own better than I thought you capable of… among all those wizards and witches…"

"I did train with magicians… I have never faced them in the heat of battle, but I have been trained to do so."

"Still, training and battle are something else entirely. I have witnessed that now myself. During training there is not the possibility of being killed by an angry mob. How come you seemed so confident?"

"Training and battle may differ for you, harry Potter, but the training I received was very much lethal to some. Most of my kind did not survive the 'Muggle hunts' for example. Let loose a group of Muggles in training and send a horde of magicians in training after them… the Muggles who could make it to the other side of the forest were safe.. the other ones were seen… unfit for further training."

Harry's eyes grew wide, and he looked up to her in shock. "That's barbaric!"

"It was my life. You told me Eyolf hated the Guild… that may be so, but he had** no** right to speak. No wizard who was trained there has a right to speak. Compared to the hardships we faced, the training of magicians was.. far easier. At least** their** lives were valued, and most survived. As a Muggle there… let's just say that out of my year, we started with forty, and ended with two. and to my deep regret, the other one died soon after."

"You must be quite something, to be the only one left," he said softly, having gained a new-found respect for this woman.

"And from what I've heard, you are quite something too." It was said with warmth, although her voice was the only thing to betray her feelings, her face proud, and hard. Harry studied her face for a moment, and especially the deep lines in it, and though her her face was worn with hardship instead of time, it had had the same effect. Smiling slightly, he offered her his hand.

"I'll gladly accept any further help and protection you can offer me," he said, sincere.

"And I'll do my best to fulfill that duty."

* * *

A tad wary, he shook the hand of the usually so stoic woman. Nervously, he licked his lips, taking in the room he'd arrived in. He hadn't been here very often. Usually Lucius came to Marvolo's manor –well, technically, it was his home too now, but he could never help thinking of it as Marvolo's. It still didn't feel very much like home to him, with the many rooms he'd never even seen-, for their lessons, instead of the other way around. The study was a lot... colder than he was used to. The dark, rich green colours and dark wood that dominated Marvolo's study wasn't present here, and instead, the main colours were light cream and icy blue.

"Harry, it's a pleasure to see you again." Narcissa smiled, and harry answered it before taking her offered hand, pressing a quick kiss to her knuckles. He braced himself for the many pureblood formalities that would surely follow, but he was shocked as she relaxed and gestured to the couch. "Well then, I think it would be better to skip the pleasantries and get to the point. Please sit down and tell me what exactly is wrong with your health."

"Right," he awkwardly replied, still shocked by her casual behaviour. It was strange to hear any pureblood, and especially the matriarch of one of the most prestigious Dark families, dump all pureblood etiquette just to 'get to the point', skipping all the dancing around the topic. More than that, it was unheard of. He suddenly felt a lot better already to have come here, and his nerves regarding having to tell anyone about his personal problems, disappeared. He sat down on the comfortable couch, and she dragged a chair over, somehow still managing to maintain all her grace as she sat down in front of him, her hands folded in her lap.

"Tell me exactly what your problems are and how you think I can help you."

Harry nodded, thoughtful. "It's a bit complicated to explain, but somehow my magic is too busy to suppress nightmares to help make antigens or something and I fall ill for every little thing?"

Narcissa raised an eyebrow. " While that is a very rough explanation I understand what you mean… Your natural magical ability to copy and maintain antigens in your body sometimes halts because everything of it focuses on a part of your brain? And as you have, like all wizards, only magically created antigens you don't have natural ones who can take the task over?"

"Yeah... and unless everywhere I go is completely bacteria and virus free I can get Muggle diseases. I went to Madame Pomfrey with this, and she said that the only thing I could do was trying to get over the trauma that gives me such strong nightmares… Few things I don't understand though: how come it doesn't do this when I think of what happened to me when I'm awake?"

"Your conscious mind focuses your magic. You may not be aware of it all the time because it is a natural thing, a reflex, is you will. Unless something really bad happens, it is within your control. Thinking of past traumas would not trigger unintentional shifts in your magic, as you know it is not having an impact on you at that moment, not in the physical sense. But when you are asleep and dreaming of it, both your reflex for focusing your magic is gone, **and** your mind thinks that is is happening at that very moment. The combination of that is what would trigger such an extreme reaction. The phenomenon is not unheard of, and I've known two other people who suffered from this."

"But they were able to get over it?" the teen hopefully asked, while wondering if he knew those people.

"One, yes. The other has taken to sterilising the air of whatever room he sleeps in, and also takes a dreamless sleep potion just in case." Harry pulled a face, not exactly knowing what to think of that. "But truth be told, the second one never wanted to accept help from anyone but himself…"

"Well, I guess I'm step ahead already then." Harry smiled nervously.

"Certainly. But it will only get harder from here. Don't worry though, In will try to help you in any way. now, the first thing I need to know is your story… what exactly is it that happened to you?"

"To make a very long story short? I was abused. The...** family** I was placed with after my parents died were everything but loving. they hated me out of fear for what I was and what I could do… The only reason they didn't dump me at an orphanage was because they felt threatened by Dumbledore. I wish they had though… keeping me only worsened things. I don't think they ever saw me as a human being." he bitterly replied, clenching his eyes shut as visions from his past flooded his mind, a hand rising to strike, the pain that followed, the fear of being chased, knowing more pain would follow if Dudley and his gang found him… "to get an idea, it is sort of how your husband, and perhaps you too, treated your house-elf Dobby."

Narcissa stiffened at the half-accusation, most likely remembering that it was Harry who had set the elf free. Harry sighed, not wanting to get into an argument with the woman. ''But no matter... the point is that they gave me a horrible life. Beyond the emotional abuse of constant hatred, there was also the physical abuse, from being denied food to outright being hit by them. And while I know, rationally, that I am much stronger than they are, and that I am not abnormal like they wanted me to believe, it's still hard to think of them as anything else but invincible people who can hurt me whenever they please.'' He didn't notice how he curled up into himself, nor the understanding look Narcissa gave him, her face hardening with each word.

''They're disgusting,'' she finally said, her lips trembling. ''Absolutely horrible. I perfectly understand how this could cause nightmares as strong as those you suffer from... Harry, tell me, what exactly do you feel when you remember?''

''Fright...'' he mumbled. ''I feel powerless and afraid.''

''Any mood swings? Feeling disconnected? Withdrawing from others? Difficulty concentrating?''

Harry frowned. ''All of those... but I never connected that to the memories. I just thought that was a part of my personality.''

''They might be... they might not.''

He looked down at his hands, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. ''Who am I then?'' he whispered. ''Who would I have been if I had grown up with my parents? Would I have been a completely different person? Did they change me that much?''

''Harry, you are who you are now. Everyone is who their experiences make them out to be. Perhaps you had the potential to become another person, but you also had the potential to become who you are now. You're doing great, much better than I had expected, but you must remember that it cannot be changed anymore, and neither can all the effects. We can only try to help you accept and get through this, to show you that you are stronger than your mind seems to think.''

''How do you propose I do that?''

''Well, it's best to find a way in which you can express yourself well first. You did great telling me your story but I noticed at times that you were telling it in a...detached tone. Try pouring your feelings into your story, and then try to associate your story with other feelings, perhaps the feeling you usually get when expressing yourself through your chosen means. The person I told you about who got over it played the violin, and tried to convey her memories into a musical piece. After, she slowly started to associate the story with making music, something she loved. I'm not saying the exact same method will work for you, but we can try. Some people prefer writing, others doing something with their hands...''

''I like drawing.'' he muttered. ''But I don't know if I can express those memories on paper.. or even if I want to.''

''You don't have to draw detailed scenes... perhaps abstract art?''

Harry thought about it, and mentally, he already started to see sketches of different feelings,different memories... there was an awful lot of red and yellow in it, but he... even liked the idea, somehow. ''I will try.''

''Good, but remember: not too much at the same time. Try working chronologiccally, and pick one or two memories a time. Meditate, go over them, try to analyse how you felt and instead of bottling it up, let it pour out of your fingers, on the paper.''

"Thank you so much." Harry said with sincerity.

"You're welcome dear." The woman smiled. "But please, only thank me when we get actual results. This is only athe first session, after all."

"Still…" the teen said. '

He glanced at the clock on the wall, mentally groaning when it was a wizard-made one. Planets and stars circled around five clock hands, making strange, zigzagging movements to avoid bumping into them. He missed Narcissa's amused look, but he did hear the humour in it when she said: "It's nearly three, Harry."

"Ah, he answered, his calm suddenly gone, stomach clenching.

"What's wrong?"

"Sirius."

"Serious… What is serious?" she asked, confused, her brow furrowing.

"No, no, my godfather, Sirius. Sirius Black."

"My... dear cousin?" She pulled a face.

"Yes, that one."

"I wonder why the Dark Lord let that mongrel run free," she growled. "And that after that abhorrent display in this very house during the Yule Ball…"

"I asked," the teen softly stated, meeting her surprised look with dark, sparkling eyes. "And I'd prefer it if you did not insult him. He may be rash, but his views and actions are largely a result of people who have manipulated and used him throughout his life, both Light and Dark."

"He's our enemy! Surely the Dark Lord…"

"Hopefully not for very long." Harry interrupted her. "He said he'd meet me this evening… Although where and how, I have no clue. It's still a few hours, but he hasn't contacted me again. As far as I know, he hasn't found a solution to the problem of finding a place to meet. I doubt he knows I'm here, and neither does he have my... other address."

"What of summer?"

"He was obliviated, and Marvolo –the Dark Lord- ensured that he forgot the way he found me as well." He replied, falling into a brooding silence after. He should have tried to find a way yesterday, and instead spent it with Marvolo. Not that he hadn't needed a relaxed day after all the turbulence of the war, but he cursed himself for forgetting something a important as this. He suddenly looked up, noticing that Narcissa had been staring at him with an odd expression, probably for quite a while already."

"What?"

"You called him by a name… and not one that is well-known."

"Who?"

"The Dark Lord… Marvolo?"

"Oh, yeah, it's one of his birth names. His middle one actually, he doesn't like the others…"

She was silent for a while, studying her polished nails, leaving Harry to wonder what she was thinking of before it dawned on him that there was a possibility that she didn't know. He bit his lip to contain a giggle, amused to see how she would bring it. "You've been his enemy for thirteen years. Now, half a year after you joined our side, he treats you as one who is of a higher rank then anyone has ever been granted. My husband, who has been the Dark Lord's right hand for years, didn't even get the privileges and protection you are granted. He watches over you, lets you stay in his home instead of finding a permanent residence for you, he lets you call him by his **name**… he seems to trust you completely…" she trailed off.

Harry just couldn't hold it anymore. The way she was trying to subtly bring it up like it was a giant secret made him burst out in loud laughter, shocking her. "Sorry!" he apologised when his snickers had nearly died down. "I forgot that you hardly ever come to meetings, but** Merlin**, that there are still people… people so clueless among the ranks! I will probably never fully get used to how being a Slytherin works… Lucius was there and didn't tell Draco, and apparently neither of them told you?"

"Was where and told me** what**, exactly, Harry? What** are** you among us?" she asked, obviously slightly offended. Harry rose his hand and waved it in front of her to show his ring. "I'm his fiancé. Have been for months. After the war, he'll be my husband."

Narcissa spluttered in a very uncharacteristic way. "Fiancé?" she asked in a high-pitched, shocked voice. Whatever she had thought him to be, this apparently had not crossed her mind once.

"You honestly didn't know, or think of the possibility?"

"Well, **no**! I thought that he might be training you as his apprentice, or that you might not have been who you said you were and had creature blood in you or discovered that you're had ancient heritage… But to hear that you're **involved** with him?"

"It's not like we hide it," Harry replied, still amused beyond words. "At one of the first meetings he kissed me full on the mouth in front of everyone to state that I belong to him. That was what I was referring to when I said Lucius knew."

"Well, of course he didn't tell me! That the Lord showed that to those present doesn't mean everyone there was allowed to tell their social circles. Of course I wouldn't go off blabbering about it, but out of principle, he **couldn't** have told me."

"As I said, Slytherins… In Gryffindor, the whole bloody world would have heard the news in days.

"I am very glad to be able to say that I have no experience dealing with Gryffindors." she huffed.

"Glad for you to have missed it as well," Harry answered, amused. "Though to be fair… it was a lot warmer sometimes. I miss the Gryffindor common room sometimes…"

"I suppose we all like different things... I could never stand the masses…

_Harry_

Harry's head jerked up when he heard Marvolo's voice in his head all of a sudden, and he narrowed his eyes in concentration.

_What? I'm still at the Malfoys._

_I know dear, but didn't you want to chase Black today? Well, not that you'll have to do much chasing…_

_How so?_

_You didn't really think I would have let him go without a way to find him?_ Marvolo said, sounding slightly offended. _I placed a tracking spell on him. He's currently wandering around the Malfoy property, which is why I thought it fit to warn you. I don't know if he can get in, but…_

_He must've thought that they would know where I was…_

_So it seems the mutt does have some brains. Or a good nose. Whatever the case, you'd better go and meet up with him before he does something stupid like trying to break into the Malfoy wards and have himself skinned alive._

Harry felt the link close, and he figured Marvolo had other things to do than busy himself with following Sirius. Instead, the teen turned to Narcissa. "It appears your cousin is just outside of your property, so I won't really have to search further… Please excuse me, but I need to get to him before he tried to run through your wards and get himself killed."

"How do you know?" Narcissa asked, confused.

"Apparently Marvolo placed a tracking spell on him…"Harry said, absent-mindedly, getting up and walking to the window, trying to see if he could make out a black dog, but the Malfoy properties were even a lot larger than Marvolo's. The gates were only to be seen from the other wing of the house, and the fence and what lied beyond was obscured by thick bushes and evergreen trees.

"I do not want him on my property," Narcissa sternly told him. "He is a traitor to my family, and I swore to never let him near this house."

"Right… I understand. I'll try to find him and take him back with me… I have a Portkey to home, so I won't need the fireplace again. I'm really sorry for breaking this off so abruptly," he apologised, already walking to the door. "I promise that I'll stay longer next time."

He nearly ran down the stairs, cursing the manor for being so fucking large. Luckily they hadn't been in a far wing of the Manor, but it still took him several minutes before he reached the front door. He shivered when stepping outside, the icy wind pulling harshly at his thin robes. Rubbing his arms to will away the cold, he ran further to reach the gates, hoping Sirius hadn't tried to break in yet. the only reason why he and the other Order members had been able to break in during Yule had apparently been because layers of wards had been stripped down by Lucius himself, allowing all guests in his home. Sirius really couldn't hope to manipulate the wards as they currently were... The only one who was able to do so, besides the Malfoy family, was Marvolo, due to his sheer power and skill.

It was only when he reached the gates that he noticed a large, black dog on the other side, who yapped happily, and started to wag his tail vigorously. Harry released a relieved breath when he saw that Sirius wasn't trying to get in… Well, he supposed that the man knew how the Malfoy wards worked… or the wards of any other Dark family home. Harry pushed the gates open and stepped outside, hurrying forwards as they slammed close again behind him.

"Sirius…" he smiled, as his godfather turned human again.

"Harry... I was already worried that I wouldn't find you in time… How have you been since Friday? No injuries?"

"A few, but they were healed soon after and none were lethal…"

"You didn't go when I told you to." The accusation in the tone was clear, but if the man thought that he could scold Harry, he was wrong.

"I was supposed to stay, and I did. If I would have ran, I wouldn't have been able to face those I stand for… If I can't fight, then how can I expect others to do it for me?"

"It shouldn't be your responsibility to fight…"

"You could've told Dumbledore when he sent me to fight a Basilisk without lifting a finger. Oh, or when he invited a couple of hundred Dementors into Hogwarts... or had me compete in the Triwizard Tournament even if he could, legally, have gotten me out of it." Sirius blinked, taken aback, at a loss of what to say in return. "But that's not what you came here for, is it?" Harry sighed. "Do you have a specific place in mind where you want to talk? Narcissa refuse you entrance here… We could go to the Dark lord's manor but…"

"I prefer not having any Death Eaters or Dark lords listening in, if you don't mind… What about the Shrieking shack? I know you don't have very good memories of it, but it's a quiet, unmonitored place and I can apparated us straight in…"

"Sounds like a plan." The teen replied, not feeling the need to tell Sirius that Marvolo could listen in whenever he wanted. "As far as I know, we also have no people in or around that place."

"Good... good. Oh, Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"It's good to see you again kid." Sirius grinned, swinging an arm around the teen. Without warning, Harry got the nauseating feeling of Apparition, and while it was over in the few seconds, he felt like emptying his stomach on the wooden floor they landed on. He groaned, holding his head in his hands for a few moments until the dizziness stopped before he dared to glance up. Sirius didn't seem to have a problem, already walking around, checking the rickety shack on life and casting silencing wards when he found none. Harry carefully moved to the dust-covered couch in the room and sat down, sneezing loudly when some of it got into his nose. He drew his wand, casting a Scourgify, satisfied when it all disappeared instantly.

"You're surprisingly good at cleaning spells." Sirius commented. "I'm really bad at those… any tips?"

Harry hoped his hardest that he wasn't blushing when he told his godfather: "Just practice it a lot." Sirius' eyebrows rose, but didn't comment further on it. Harry tried to distract himself from the awkward silence by lighting up the room a bit. All windows were still blocked by the wooden planks that had been nailed in front of them, making the room dark and stale. A few insects fled for the light, and Harry almost wished he hadn't cast it, as the light revealed more of the room than he'd wished to see, including plaques of soggy mold that covered part of the walls. The couch dipped as the man sat down, his hands nervously carding through his hair.

"So…" Instead of commenting, Harry chewed on his lip, not quite sure what to say now they were here. Thankfully, Sirius continued himself. "Not the most pleasant place for a conversation, but some things really do need to be cleared up… You told me a few interesting things before, and I'd like to have a more complete view of what exactly is going on, and in particular, how you suddenly ended up at the Dark Side."

"To answer your last question first… There were a few reasons for that. I finally found out that the Light has been spouting a lot of lies regarding what the Dark stands for, keeping me ignorant and docile. And the worst thing is that many of them believe wholeheartedly in what they tell others. And I know how you got these ideas... of course I've researched the history and files about the last war, and I agree on that such a thing must never happen again, but it's different this time, and that's really not just a load of propagandistic bull. The first war was a quest for power, with twisted ideas about purifying the world from 'Muggle scum'. Or actually, it didn't even start like that. You know how much followers he had at first, and you probably also remember why. He **had** good beliefs, and also made changes, for the better of our kind and all sorts of creatures."

"And then we found out it was all a cover-up of a power-hungry madman, all good changes were destroyed and the world was thrown into blood, chaos and fear. Yes Harry, I remember that** very** well. Better than you, I would think." Sirius harshly said. "And instead, not only were magical people seen as gods compared to Muggles, everyone who wasn't a 'pure' witch or wizard was slaughtered, or forced into hiding. There was an iron hierarchy, with only very few people benefiting. Yes, magic was free… Magic that was used to spread even more violence and war, magic used to suppress so-called 'Mudbloods' or the vermin that were Muggles. And Dumbledore changed that. Dumbledore and the Order changed that…"

"And then made sure that all laws went back to the **old** ones, improving nothing from before, declaring all laws Voldemort had implemented, even the really good ones that vouched for freedom and equality, null and void."

"It was better than leaving all laws he made… this was easier. You don't understand, the whole book of law had been revised. There was no telling what was good to keep and what wasn't… We were just recovering from a war, half the population had been wiped out. Families torn apart or worse…"

"I'm not saying it wasn't awful. I wasn't there, of course, but I read the records, I spoke to many people who had lived the war… but it does say a lot that Death Eaters who had switched sides during the first wars are coming back to us now… That people who were completely light are flocking to our side. It's** not** the **same** anymore. He went back to his old goals, creating a world where magic can be practised out in the open, accepted by Muggles…''

''Or so he wants us to believe.'' Sirius gave him an unconvinced look. ''It was also what he wanted us to believe the first time, but it didn't happen like that. My brother died in His service,and your parents, along with many of my other friends. Friend and foe alike died, in combat or in the 'safety' of their houses. You try to convince me of that this time, He is different, but how can you guarantee me that, or that it will remain this way?''

Harry sighed deeply, plucking at his fringe and rubbing his fingers over his scar. '' Because I can feel him. Everything he feels, I feel too, and everything he** thinks **I can hear too, even though I don't always do that to not intrude his privacy too much. I know him perhaps better than I know myself, and I'm certainly the only person who ever will know him like this.'' He leaned back as he let that revelation sink in, and judging by Sirius' shocked, pale face, the man needed those few minutes of silence to process what he had just heard. Harry had not planned on giving away this information. He knew that, should Sirius tell Dumbledore, the headmaster would do everything in his power to use it.

''You can read his mind.'' Sirius rasped. '' The mind of the most powerful, cruel dark wizard this world has ever known. His secrets, his knowledge, his memories... all bared to you?''

''Essentially... yes, although he knows it when I look at something.''

''He must be terrified,''his godfather whispered, and looked up in shock as Harry started to laugh, after which he smiled wickedly.

''Not exactly.''

''Oh?''

''He enjoys corrupting me,'' the teen replied with amusement. '' And he can also send me specific thoughts... pervy images mostly. He has quite the sense of humour.''

* * *

Read and Review!  
xx GeMerope


	36. Part II Chapter XI

_'He enjoys corrupting me,'' the teen replied with amusement. '' And he can also send me specific thoughts... pervy images mostly. He has quite the sense of humour.''_

Sirius spluttered for a bit, seeming to choke on his own tongue, before he suddenly jumped to his feet, his face contorting in rage. ''Corrupting you? My innocent godson? You will** not** go back there Harry! I forbid you, I...'' He sat down again, breathing heavily, a strange expression on his face. He looked a bit lost and disturbed at the same time actually. Wary, Harry had gripped his wand tighter and sneakily pointed it at Sirius, just in case. ''I don't have any say about this do I?''

Harry blinked, not having expected that sentence. ''What?'' he asked, surprised.

Sirius sighed and carded a hand through his hair. ''You're too far into this already to back out, I know. And you seem to like being where you are. I'm not saying I like it but it's... your choice.'' He grimaced after the last words, while Harry smiled. ''I still can't fathom why you want to be around those people... Not even talking about war or goals, they have horrible personalities. Just look at Malfoy! Little snot...''

''Depends which one. I dislike Draco, but Lucius and Narcissa are alright.''

''Have you gone** mad**!'' Sirius complained, almost whining. ''Last time I tried pulling a prank on Lucius, he went running to a teacher instead of fighting back! No prank code, those people...''

Harry roared with laughter, relaxing again. ''Oh you, nothing will ever change you, will it?''

''Nah. If Azkaban couldn't do it, nothing will.'' Sirius grinned.

The both of them chuckled until a comfortable silence settled over the room. '' What sort of pervy images, actually? Sexy lizards and snakes?'' Sirius suddenly asked, sending Harry in a fit of laughter as well.

''Sirius!'' Harry exclaimed, throwing the nearest thing at the man, which happened to be a mouldy tennis ball with teeth marks in it…

''Sevvie!'' Sirius shouted happily, catching the dirty thing.

''Uhm, Sevvie?'' the teen asked, confused.

''It's Remus' old chewing toy... you know, in case he got the urge to bite something. We called it after our favourite Slytherin!''

''Of course you would...'' the other spoke, shaking his head.

''How is he anyways? The git is at your side, isn't he? Haven't seen him in a while. Dumbles has been avoiding the topic of Severus for the longest time now, and whenever we do see the headmaster, there is always more important stuff to talk about.''

''What, like forcing me back to the Order against my will by impersonating Voldemort and making him look bad in my eyes or crap like that?''

Sirius' eyes widened. ''You figured out that plan just from my information in what... two days?''

''Well, thank you for the warning, but we actually knew about it for a longer time… we got the details from somebody else right after the raid as well.''

''Oh, right, I see. Hey, how are you even allowed to tell me all this? I mean, if he's in your head, isn't he there right now as well?'' Sirius asked, suddenly horrified.

''Erhm, sort of. Well, he's busy, and he knows I wanted to talk to you in private so he's just checking on me now and then to see if you haven't petrified me and shipped me off to Dumbles.''

''What, doesn't want to lose his precious triumph card?'' Sirius sulked, lifting his head with a jerk as the room temperature seemed to drop below zero.

''I am** not** a triumph card.'' Harry hissed. ''Dumbledore might think of me like that, the rest of the Order might, but He will** never**.''

''Harry, I'm sorry, I... but how can you be** sure**? I don't want people using you, and you stand besides a man **known** for using and killing people. I won't convince you to go back to the order, it's clear that you don't want to, and I have to admit that Dumbledore's latest plans involving you have been dodgy at best. But is there no other way? Staying Neutral, out of this war? I can hide you until this is all over...''

''He offered me the same... I said no.''

'Sirius' hands, which he had been wringing nervously, stilled as he frowned, his head cocked slightly to the side. ''Who?''

''Voldemort. He didn't bring me to him to join him Sirius. I did that because I wanted to, after I got to know him, after he told me more about his plans. I was never forced to choose. He brought me with him after saving me from my family.''

''Saved you?'' the man whispered.

''He originally came to kill me, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.''

Sirius guffawed. ''Couldn't do it? Isn't that a tiny bit suspicious? After all this time, after all the people he murdered, he couldn't kill the one he saw as one of his worst enemies? Harry **please**, be rational. I've heard he can fire the Killing curse** without aim**. You know how much practise you would need for that? The Unforgivable curses, at least the worse two, are based on hatred and the will to hurt or kill. To cast it aimlessly and succeed... you'd have to be heartless, and certainly wouldn't just feel that you couldn't kill a specific person...''

''You forget I can read his mind. That includes seeing and **feeling** his memories. I felt what he felt at that moment, and he's nowhere near as heartless as you think he is. I won't call him a good man, because he's not, but he is a man with the potential to be good when he wants to. He has feelings, more powerful than you could imagine, so intense...'' Harry broke up, coughing awkwardly and looking away, hoping he hadn't been a tad too enthusiastic. He recalled the love and lust he'd felt flow freely through the link at times, and had to cross his legs to hide his growing bulge, once again glad for Wizarding robes.

''You seem to be very... close.''

''Yeah well, sharing a mind does that to you.''

''Harry? I am... willing to give you a chance. But I really need for you to block that link. Is that possible? Just to explain you the plan, and after if you decide to go along with it.''

''It is possible, yes,'' Harry answered, feeling a bit uneasy. ''I don't like doing it though...''

''Please.''

Biting his lip and leaning back, Harry thought about it. He searched contact with Marvolo, who reassured him that, if the link would be closed for too long, Marvolo would force it back open. Still not completely comfortable, he reluctantly sealed the link shut from his side, while he felt Marvolo doing the same. It was odd, while they had closed the connection before, there was always at least a tiny hole in it, which told him if Marvolo was at least safe. It felt really empty, to be completely cut off, and it took him some time to recover. Finally, he looked at Sirius and nodded. '' It's done.''

''Right,'' the man began, clapping his hands together. ''Here is the plan. You still have your invisibility cloak I presume?''

''Yes...?''

''Can you get it without anyone noticing?''

Harry thought about it for a moment. He had given it to Marvolo some time ago to study it, but both of them had been so busy that it had been pushed down on the list of priorities. It was most likely still in one of the laboratories, where he had last seen it. ''Flos'' he called out, summoning an elf. It was not one of his favourites, but Tabby was always at Marvolo's beck and call, and as Sirius seemed to want to be discreet, he couldn't risk the elf suddenly disappearing when in Marvolo's view. He ignored Sirius' surprised look as the elf appeared. ''Bring me my invisibility cloak. It is either in laboratory three or two. If you can't find it there, keep looking, but don't ask for help from anyone.'' As the elf went away to fulfill his request, Harry leaned back on the couch, his hands behind his head. ''So, rest of your plan?''

''I will hide under your cloak as you go back to Him. I will stay there for a full day and judge for myself. You're bound to interact with him at some point, yes?''

''Well yeah, but he's bound to be suspicious if I keep the link closed for a whole day.''

''Even so, it's the best plan I got that could convince me. He may be wary, but you seem to have enough... power or trust or whatever it is, to make him believe you if you tell him to let it slip?'' Sirius half-stated, half-asked.''

Harry sighed, not liking to deceive Marvolo, but if it was the only way to show Sirius that the man was really** human**, then it would be good to go through with it... ''So you're going to just hang around for day, invisible, and stalk me... basically?''

Sirius grinned. ''Basically. Don't you worry though, if you disappear off with a girl in a broom closet, I'll be the last to enter,'' he winked.

The elf appeared with the cloak, sparing Harry an answer, and the teen held it in front of his godfather. ''Right then. Large enough for you, or do you need to turn into a dog?''

''Can't think as well when I'm in my Animagus form. One thing though, how will I get past that manor's wards?''

''It's actually not as well-protected as the Malfoy's house, as new recruits constantly have to go to it. We can't apparate directly in there or anything, and the house-elves are forbidden from helping people get through the wards, but I have a portkey to right before the gates, and as I can enter them, you can slip in while I am walking through as well.''

''That's not exactly well-protected...'' Sirius said, surprised.

''Oh, it is. Unless you somehow tag along with Death Eaters or have a Portkey to it... The manor can't be found on maps and isn't even visible when standing in front of the gates. You can't apparate in, and the floo network is only connected to several specific fireplaces. It's a separate one from the Ministry. And also, if you do manage to get inside... it is hard to not get discovered. First of all, there are the elves, who can see through most magical disguises, and then there's Voldemort himself. Don't worry though, the invisibility cloak is... special. No-one will be able to sense you underneath that."

Sirius looked like he was going to fire another stream of questions, but Harry interrupted the man before he even started by throwing the cloak over Sirius' head. "Good old times!" he heard and excited voice from in front of him, and Harry grinned, wondering how it must feel to his godfather to sneak around under this cloak again.

"Also, while you're not visible anymore, he does have an increased sense of hearing and smell…"

"Ah, thank you for telling me. Don't worry about it, I haven't been through Auror training for nothing… there are both spells and tricks for that. He won't notice I'm there, I can assure you."

"Well then… shall we go?" Harry didn't want to wait a moment longer. He knew how hesitant Marvolo had been to close down the link, so he wanted to return as soon as possible to show that he was alright. He wondered how Sirius thought that this was going to work… Marvolo would most likely be extremely suspicious. Harry knew that the man had no way to suspect that Sirius was hanging around because the invisibility cloak was possibly the only disguise that he could not see through, and Harry hadn't used it in ages, but he would not be able to provide any good reason to keep the link still sealed shut, and Harry doubted that Marvolo would just let it slip for a full day. He would just have to throw it on trust and hope that the man would be satisfied with that explanation for the time being.

A second problem was that, should Marvolo really act like usual around Harry, there was no way to keep their relationship a secret to Sirius, something Harry has wanted to avoid after seeing the disastrous reaction during summer. On the other hand, they did have a solid relationship for months now, and Sirius already knew what side he was on and that he was close to the man. Still, he didn't know how his godfather would take the news, or in how far Sirius would think it distorted his image of Marvolo's personality. Well... he supposed he was about to find out.

XxX

It had already been quite some time that the link had been completely shut, and while usually, a closed link meant that he was able to concentrate better due to the lack of confusing emotions and stray thoughts flowing to his mind, he was hyper-aware of the complete and utter silence now. There was not even the slightest hint of Harry's presence and it made him feel anxious, which in turn made him realise how much he had started to depend on their mind-link. In the beginning, he had thought of it as a useful tool, but it had become a necessity in their lives. He snapped at the people in the room, not even aware of what exactly they had been telling him, and they ran out of it, followed by a burst of magic that he released out of sheer irritation and worry about Harry. He gripped the leather arm rests tightly with his fingers, nails digging into the dark green fabric, nearly piercing it. He concentrated on his magic, hoping to at least feel his lover through that, but to no avail. Getting up, he paced back and forth in front of his desk, hands clasped behind his back and his robes billowing ominously behind him.

Suddenly, he felt something and halted mid-step before readjusting his position, his torso leaning slightly forwards. He let his eyes fall close and his body relaxed as he felt the familiar magic near, having appeared just outside of the gates, judging by the distance. Indeed, a few seconds after, the wards shifted to let someone in, and Marvolo finally returned to his seat again before remembering that he couldn't let Harry know where he currently was. Annoyed, he got up once again to search his fiancé out and demand to know what had happened and why the bloody link was still not opened yet.

He arrived on the top of the stairs the moment a soaked Harry came through the main doors, and he watched the teen, leaning on the balustrade, waiting for the other to notice him. When Harry did, Marvolo tried to read Harry's expression and stance as he started descending the staircase, but they were only a meek alternative for reading his thoughts. Tense, he stopped at the end of the stairs, waiting for the other to come closer, and he accepted the hand that slipped into his own and squeezed it.

"Harry…" he hesitantly said. "Are you alright? Why is it still closed?" If he hadn't been able to identify the teen by his magic, he might think that it wasn't the same person, as strange as he was acting… What did his godfather tell him? He narrowed his eyes, scanning the hall, but there was not a single distortion in the web of magic anywhere, and no additional energies that would indicate the presence of another person. It could, of course, be hidden by magic, but until now he had not seen a single disguise he hadn't discovered since he had made his last Horcrux.

The teenager smiled weakly. "Just trust me, okay? It's only for a day, and I can't tell you why, not yet. But I need this…" he finished the last sentence in a whisper.

"Harry…" Marvolo sighed again, not quite knowing what to make of it. It was clear that the teen was alone, but the link had been closed after the mutt had asked for it, so he somehow still held some influence, and Marvolo hated not knowing what Harry was hiding from him and why.

"Just try to forget it somehow… I'll explain it all later. Tomorrow evening, most likely."

"Very well," he finally agreed, though still worried, hoping that he could trust Harry's judgment. "You'd better have a good reason. It feels horrible," he muttered, and Harry unconsciously grimaced, mirroring his feelings. "I'll let it slip… for now. However, your deadline for explanation is tomorrow afternoon 4 o'clock and not a second later." Harry sighed but nodded mutely, tugging at his hand as he started to climb the stairs.

"So, what have you done today?"

"Paperwork mostly," he answered, huffing. "Incredibly boring, but it sadly has to be done. I'm filing the reports in a better order. I inspected the work of the administers working for me and they made it a total chaos so I fired them and am trying to dig through the mess."

"Fired…" Harry said with a doubting look.

Amused, Marvolo looked at the teen. "Yes, fired, not killed. Their memory leaves room for some improvement at the moment though."

"Can I help you? I don't really have a whole lot to do anymore."

"If you want to. Dinner won't be served till six and I had planned to work on it until then and maybe an hour or two after. Luckily it's only work from a few months… I hired them in October." He opened the door of the study for Harry, letting him go in first and following after, leaving the door ajar so he would be able to hear any potential disturbance in the manor. He suddenly grasped Harry's shoulders though, and turned the confused teen around slowly, adoring how Harry's head cocked slightly to one side.

"What?" Harry asked, only to give a near-silent 'oh' and a smile as Marvolo wrapped his arms around the younger wizard, rubbing his fingertips over the teen's shoulders and neck, hearing the other sigh softly in content. The head leaned heavy against his chest as Harry melted into the embrace.

"Also, I didn't ask you yet… how did your therapy go? I didn't follow all of the conversation."

"Good. She figures drawing might help… I'll just give it a go, I guess."

"Hmm, art therapy. A good choice. I'm glad she knows what she's doing. And the talk with Sirius?"

"Can we maybe talk about that one later?" Harry hesitated. "I'm not quite sure yet… it seems things are going in a positive direction, but he might have a completely different opinion next time I speak to him… So, to get my mind off of things: paperwork. What can I do exactly?"

"You sound so enthusiastic about it." Marvolo drawled, glaring at the hated reports.

Harry laughed. "Well, it's something to keep my mind off of things."

"These are all the reports my followers submitted in the past months. But while they were in a somewhat chronological order, they had not been filed per person or topic. I'm trying to sort that out now, also to see exactly who is currently doing what, and how fast they are making progress."

"But even though that's only of months… you have hundreds of people working under you!" Harry said, horrified."

"Exactly. Why do you think I am not looking forward to it?"

Harry groaned.

XxX

It was hard for him, to see his godson interact with the one man he despised and feared most of all. Sirius tried to make sure to keep just within hearing range, but to not come to close. He had heard rumours of that Voldemort could see the air itself through his magical enhanced abilities and while the invisibility cloak masked everything under it, he was still solid and would thus push the air away when walking. Thankfully there was a bit of a draught, and he made sure to move with the gust of air. The soles of his boots were already spelled silent, and he had even masked his smell completely and had cast a Silencio on himself so even his breath wouldn't make any noise, but he was still anxious. It seemed to him as if he would get caught at every moment, and it was distracting him from his actual purpose. He heard the two of them chatting quietly and went a bit closer, wrinkling his nose in distaste as he saw Harry grab Voldemort's hand. If the gesture didn't seem so familiar he would have been frightened for the teen's life.

He was still mulling over everything Harry had told him, and he had to –reluctantly- admit that his godson had a few points... Especially concerning Dumbledore. There was absolutely no way that Sirius would help the headmaster in any of his plans to force harry back to the Order. Of course, that didn't mean that he liked Harry hanging out with a bunch of murderers either… Why couldn't there just be a happy alternative like getting a Muggle rocky boat or whatever they were called and flying to another planet with it…

He heard the conversation turn to casual as they started to ascend the grand staircase and Sirius was quick to follow, glad that Harry had been able to convince Voldemort to leave the topic of the mind link rest for now. Tomorrow at four would be late enough. He doubted he'd need more than a few hours to analyse Voldemort's behaviour to be honest. He blessed his luck when they entered a room and left the door open instead of shutting it, as he had been too far away to be able to slip in after Harry. And even if he'd stood that close, he might not have been able to avoid bumping into the Dark Lord… He shuddered at the thought, wondering how Harry had been able to hold the man's spindly fingers in his own hand.

It surprised him yet again how much Voldemort appeared to have changed. When they'd attacked Malfoy Manor at the Yule Ball, only a few days ago, he had looked… more human. But Friday evening he seemed to have undergone a change, and it was more obvious now in the light of the room. The eyes no longer held any white, and the face looked even more angular than he previously been the case. He nearly doubled over when Voldemort opened his mouth to speak and Sirius caught sight of something black in it.

Another unpleasant surprise came when he saw Voldemort stopping Harry and… embracing him seconds after. His godson didn't even seem shocked, and Sirius moved to a corner, heart thudding and hands trembling as a lot of Harry's words and the avoidance of the topic of girls suddenly made sense to him. He felt a lot for running up to the two of them and pulling Harry away, but again, he had to admit that he had absolutely **no right**. While not yet an adult, he knew that Harry was far more mature for his age and was able to make his own choices… His previous chats to the teen had proven that, as well as everything the teen had been put through and survived. Sirius had to admit to himself that he had been unreasonable and outright denigrating towards his godson before, and he felt shame rise in him.

Still, it didn't mean that he liked what he was seeing as Harry returned the hug, pressing his face into Voldemort's narrow chest. Sirius was grateful when they pulled away, and the Auror in him rose to the surface as their conversation switched to business. He pushed his personal feelings away for now, concentrating on what they were saying, surprised about how much Harry was revealing about the Dark organization… Had his godson already forgotten that he was here?

As it didn't look like the others were going anywhere for the coming hours, he carefully sat down on the floor in a more comfortable position, legs crossed and his hands resting on his knees. The cloak was annoying and made his face itch whenever it lightly touched his skin, but he could deal for now.

* * *

Harry cracked his back when finishing another stack of papers. They were thankfully going fast, certainly faster than he expected, and it surprised him that they had both been able to work so seriously while being so close. Usually it ended up in sex, but as neither of them could give the other the hints through the link that would normally start it, they kept silent. Then there was also, of course, the fact that Marvolo had to feel as if Harry was hiding something big, and Harry who knew Sirius was most likely in the room with them. Of course, he could not be sure… for all he knew, the man had walked out fuming and disapparated as soon as he had returned Marvolo's hug. Harry had a perverse curiousity though about taking his chances and see how far he could go before Sirius would appear with his white-hot anger. Well, he certainly wouldn't sleep in another room than his usual just because his invisible godfather was stalking him. The uncertainty over whether Sirius was still here or not was killing him though, and he nervously sprang to his feet.

"Need to go to the loo." he muttered in answer to Marvolo's raised eyebrow.

he hurried out of the room, but slowed his pace incredibly when actually out of sight, leisurely walking to the nearest bathroom, which happened to be the one adjoining their bedroom. He opened the door, but didn't enter it and instead turned around, whispering: "Sirius... you there?"

"Yes," came the muffled reply from a few yards away from him, and Harry jumped and his eyes flicked to the door.

"Can you close that?" he said, still whispering, after which the door seemingly closed on its own. "Don't throw off the cloak." he said, "and keep your voice low, I don't want him knowing you're here yet."

"Harry…" he heard Sirius' hesitant voice, now considerably closer to him. "Are you and he involved? I know you said you were close because of the mental link, but you never specified in what way…"

Having expected the question, but having forgotten how bold his godfather could be, he swallowed, searching for an answer before settling with the truth. "Yes, we are… involved. We've been together for a couple of months now. But I do want you to know that it has not clouded my judgment or anything like that towards anything he does."

Sirius was silent for a long time, so long Harry thought he might have moved away, but finally, he got a reply, in the form of a deep sigh, followed by: "Are you sure this is what you want? And are you absolutely certain that he did not use magic to make you feel anything for him? I won't lie, I'm a bit disgusted when I think of him with anyone, least of all you, a boy… what, thrice as young as he is? More?"

"Age never seemed to matter," Harry muttered, looking away, feeling uncomfortable by the judging tone. "And yes, I am absolutely sure Sirius. Again, I feel like I need to point out to you that I can feel everything he feels."

"Well…" he heard his godfather say, still a bit uncertain. "I suppose I have my answer about getting you to stay neutral then… and I also understand now why you went back to fighting before instead of running as I told you to. Do his minions know?"

"His 'minions' are aware yes," Harry replied, a bit amused. "Well most of them anyways. Today I found out that Narcissa apparently didn't know yet. And there are bound to be some others, but in general, it's known. He doesn't exactly hide me away like a dirty secret, if you were afraid of that."

He heard Sirius sigh. "I am relieved to hear that. I would hate for you to be treated any less than you deserve."

"You didn't come here just to judge my current life though. What do you think of him? What do you think of the organisation, or what you've heard of it so far?"

"He's far more... human than I thought. Not mad in the slightest, he seems very stable. And when I hear what his followers are all working on right now… You didn't say much, but you spoke of treaties with other creatures, meetings with Muggles, I heard several laws that his followers implemented, and while it was in an underhand way, I agreed with all of them. I was... wrong. It appears that bloodshed like last Friday is only being resorted to because the Light forced you to fight, not for pleasure."

"Well… I'm sure there are some death eaters who enjoy the violence… We aren't all angels all of a sudden. There are still many here who thrived on the last war as well, but Marvolo manages to keep them in line and they haven't overstepped any boundaries and gone on killing sprees as far as we know."

"Which means that they haven't." A silky voice sounded, and Harry turned to the door abruptly, seeing Marvolo lean against the door post. "Also, if you hadn't wanted me to know you should have kept a lower voice."

"We were already whispering!" Harry threw in.

"Then whisper more quietly."

"How much did you hear?"

"Everything." Harry sighed, and Sirius appeared, shrugging the cloak off. "And I'm disappointed that you would go through such an elaborate scheme without notifying me," the man continued, making Harry shrink back a bit, but suddenly, Sirius stepped in front of him.

"Don't you dare take it out on Harry. It was **my** idea and solely **my** responsibility because I wouldn't believe him without seeing evidence." his godfather spoke, gripping his wand, although he kept it pointed at the floor rather than Marvolo's face. The man looked very much like the Dark Lord he was at the moment, and even without the link open Harry could see the irritation and anger shimmering in his eyes.

"Well, I'm glad you saw reason," the man sneered. "Would you care for an official tour of the house now? Or would you rather immediately be shown to the lowest floor, in the dungeons, so you can chat up to the bunch of Weasleys I have there?"

"Weasleys?" Sirius whispered, growing pale. "You locked up** kids**?"

"Don't be stupid, their children are my followers." Marvolo said. "I kept their parents alive for them because apparently killing ones parents isn't something **normal** people do."

"Marvolo, calm down," Harry said, suddenly fed up with it. "Yes, I snuck Sirius into our house, well deal with it, it's my house too and he's my godfather and excuse me if I want to try everything to keep him alive."

~It's not about that!~ Marvolo hissed, furious. ~The point is that you apparently didn't trust me with that information!~

~How could I ever have gotten you to act like you normally do? It would have defeated all purpose if you knew he'd was here! I'm... I'm ** sorry** for not telling you, but I could never have gotten him to trust me if he even so much as thought that I gave you a warning…~

Marvolo exhaled his breath and rubbed his hand over his face, looking very weary all of a sudden. ~It could have been a trap… for all you know he could have used you to enter this house and then turned against you.~

Harry gaped at the man. ~That's what this is about? You were... worried?~

~Of course I was worried! How could I not be? You suddenly close the link, leaving me with no way to know if you are alright, and an enemy gains your trust, enough for you to let him enter our house, which doubles as the headquarters for the Dark? And you didn't… you didn't even entrust me with your safety.~

"Marvolo…" Harry spoke, switching back to English again. "Oh Marvolo." He approached the man, who had half turned away, and Harry tenderly embraced him, wincing when trembling arms grabbed him tightly, crushing him against the narrow, bony chest. ~I could have lost you.~ the man whispered, his anger draining, only soft hisses slipping sensually past his lips instead of the angry, spitted hissing from previously.

"But you haven't." the teen replied.

Please open the link again, it's driving me mad." Marvolo rasped, and Harry nodded against the chest, closing his eyes and concentrating on the link, letting all defenses fall. Unconsciously, they simultaneously let out a relieved sigh when familiar feelings, magic and thoughts were shared again instantly, and it was now that Marvolo's worry for him hit him even harder, making him squeeze the other tightly. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, while he felt Marvolo go through his memories of past hours.

"It's alright." the man replied after a few moments. ~I'm just glad that you're okay.~

XxX

Sirius didn't exactly know what to think of the happenings of past hours. Half of the conversation had been in the strange, hissed language he couldn't understand –and it had been quite a shock to him to find out that Harry could speak Parseltongue. He hadn't been aware of it before- and Voldemort seemed to go through different moods faster than a Firebolt at top speed. They were now seated in a small but comfortable living room which held little besides a table, several couches and a wardrobe with some drawers and a number of globes on top of it. Voldemort was staring at a spot on the wall that, to Sirius, didn't hold anymore attraction that any other random spot on it, fingers pressed together under his chin. Harry was pressed to the man's side, a hand placed on a black-clad knee. It didn't even seem intentional. His godson's hand had just automatically shifted to the spot as they'd sat down. It was still a mind-boggling concept to Sirius, but the relationship between the two in front of him seemed to have worked till now.

Well, just leave it to James' son to bring a Dark Lord to his knees…

_Ugh no not in that context __**bad**__ Padfoot, __**bad**__ images._

Amazingly enough, he** had** gotten a tour of the house, although they had not visited the dungeons. –Thankfully, because he didn't think he could currently face Molly and Arthur, or any other member of the order.- All of it still hadn't convinced him to join the Dark though, but he had finally figured out that Albus Dumbledore was a manipulative liar, and he certainly wouldn't be working for the Order anymore.

It was very late in the evening now, and Sirius didn't think things could get anymore absurd, until the Dark Lord personally offered him tea. He nodded mutely, mainly out of shock, wondering about how such a sentence could be said in such a threatening, cold tone. He took the cup the house-elf that appeared handed him, only realizing after he'd already placed the cup against his lips that he's forgotten to out his usual load of sugar in it. Sighing inwardly and desperately trying to not look like a fool, he hid his grimace and downed the liquid.

He'd been very surprised about how the day had progressed. Aside from the occasional threat to string him up in a dungeon, Voldemort had been relatively peaceful, or at least as peaceful as one could expect from a man like this. He hadn't been done anything to, and all his limbs were still intact and correctly placed. In fact, he'd gotten the idea that even the aforementioned threat had merely been an ill attempt at humour than thoughts the Dark Lord planned to put into practise.

One thing had been bothering him throughout the day however, and he was currently mustering up the courage to ask for clarification. Both Harry and Voldemort had freely spoken about on-going Death Eater business as if Sirius hadn't been in the room, discussing the reports they had sorted earlier, with Harry asking detailed questions to receive information someone in the Order would have hung themselves for.

He'd been able to confirm that the Dark had contacts with the goblins after all, a feat that Dumbledore had only recently established with the Order, and it wasn't exactly a bond of trust yet. The Dark was not trying to get the creatures actively over to their side though, which might have helped in conducting business with them. He'd also heard reports of Death Eaters he thought long dead, but who appeared to be alive still as if the laws of life and death didn't apply to anyone in Voldemort's good graces. And rather than hushing Harry's requests, Voldemort had explained everything in as much detail as Harry felt was required, completely seeming to disregard Sirius as a threat.

The Auror in him was offended. He'd told them he had no desire to work for the Order anymore, but that didn't mean he was joining the Dark instantly. No matter what he had seen today, he still didn't agree with everything, and he certainly didn't think all the crimes Voldemort and his followers committed should be excused just because they had a better goal now. It didn't bring back the dead and didn't do anything to make up for the grief they had caused before. People could change, yes, but that didn't mean that their past actions could be disregarded only because they didn't do the same thing anymore… or not to such an extent, rather. There were still dungeons, there were still raids and tortured prisoners…

And to Sirius, a goal, any goal, could never justify such cruel means. Today had mainly made him aware that Dumbledore was a lot more manipulative and bad than he had thought. It had not changed his opinion of the Dark very much. It only left him with the dilemma of that there were now two sides he didn't agree with rather than one. Or three, really, if you considered the Ministry a side.

Also, he wasn't only an active threat, but also a passive one. Even if he would choose to keep all this information to himself, that didn't mean that it couldn't be pulled out of him. If Dumbledore were to ever perform Legilimency on him, the headmaster would easily obtain valuable information, as Sirius had never been a star Occlumens. Unless the Dark Lord planned to erase and replace his memories, it was incredibly risky to discuss all these topics with him around.

He was just about to speak up about it when the conversation shifted to Goblins yet again, and his curiousity won it by far from his rational mind. It still bugged him that they discussed it so openly, but it was far too interesting to not listen in on.

"…didn't have much plans for the Goblins before, and thus kind of let him loose in establishing contacts with them and conducting business. I hadn't forgotten all about him of course, but I should have sent Travers to Granger the moment I heard she had plans with those creatures."

"Hermione? What does she have to do with anything?"

"Didn't I mention it? Hmm, I must have been busy, my apologies dear. I have only known for a few days either though."

"You don't have to excuse yourself, I know how busy you've been." Harry answered smiling. "It's annoying that the link had been closed for such a long time though, otherwise I would long have picked something up about it. It doesn't matter. But what does she have to do with Goblins?"

"Apparently she and a certain reporter, Skeeter, are working together somehow."

"**Skeeter**?" Harry exclaimed in disbelief, and Sirius frowned too, wondering why the hell Hermione would be working together with that foul hag. "Hermione hates Rita! Last year not a single positive word left her mouth about that... that bitch!"

"Somehow I got the idea that Skeeter didn't have much say in their current... arrangement. Did you read the latest issue of the Quibbler? Skeeter made a rather dramatic comeback… and not in the Prophet like expected."

"How do you know her anyways? She couldn't have been a reporter before your first death…"

Voldemort gave Harry an amused look, and even Sirius had to hide a smile behind his hand. "Actually, she's older than you think… A lot older. But even so, the first war wasn't that long ago…"

"No way!" Harry laughed. "Ohh, I'll never let her live that down when I next see her!" He suddenly pulled a face. "Ew, now the whole broom closet business seems even more disturbing than it did before."

"Broom closet?" both men asked sharply, glaring at each other after.

"During one of the interviews for the Triwizard Tournament she apparently thought a small broom closet to be the perfect place for a private interview…" Harry shuddered. "She was rather suggestive too."

"And dead." Voldemort growled. "Very dead. Back to the topic at hand though. Granger seems to have gotten the idea in her head that my return alone wasn't enough to shake the world awake. She's planning on bringing up the issue of goblins possessing wands yet again."

"Did you ever voice your opinion on that towards her then? Or the other way around?"

"I **may** have looked into her mind. She has good, yet slightly delusional ideals on the matter. But if the strives for utopia, she at least has an extreme starting position, so if it comes to negotiating she won't end up too low. I do wonder why she instantly assumed I would have the same opinion as she did on it, but at least she asked for permission first… And I do know that both Granger and Skeeter will do their utmost best on this. Skeeter is adamant to move onto bigger fish, but I will only give them the information they are preying on if they can show me good results on this."

"Hmm, it would indeed be a good idea to send Travers to visit Hermione then, sooner rather than later. As far as I know, all the information she holds on Goblins comes from books. Light books from the Hogwarts library, no less."

"I shall summon Travers tomorrow." Voldemort answered, his brow creasing slightly.

"Could you summon Yaxley as well? He's infiltrated in Law Enforcement, and there were several things I wanted to ask him, if he has time. We have received zero information on laws and politics at Hogwarts, leaving me completely clueless on these areas. I've heard snippets of laws, mainly only after I accidentally broke them or from you when you think they need to be changed, but I hardly know the law book by heart. Lucius is already teaching me politics, but his lessons are more a guide on how to be a Slytherin than a law course. All the etiquette and how the Wizarding government works is useful and interesting as well, but his lessons hardly leave time for anything else."

"I'll try to see if Avery is free… If not, Rowle also works in the Law Department." Harry nodded and a silence fell over the room, one which only Sirius seemed to find uncomfortable beyond words. He cleared his throat awkwardly, and the others focused on him instantly. "Something you have to add, Black?" the Dark Lord menacingly asked.

"Ask, actually… Isn't it extremely dangerous for you to relay all this information while I am here…? When I leave, Dumbledore will surely want to talk to me and know why I snuck out from under his watch…"

"When you leave…?" Voldemort asked on a tone that made clear how ridiculous he thought those words to be. "You really thought I would let you leave? From the moment I discovered you were here, I contacted my men and ordered them to spread the word of the demise of Sirius Black…"

"What?" Sirius exclaimed, jumping up. "You plan to kill me after all then?" He pulled his wand, pointing it in between Voldemort's glaring eyes. His gaze shifted to the doors, instantly calculating the time it would cost him to reach him, both in his Animagus form and in his normal form.

"I wasn't planning to but if you keep your wand pointed at me I may very well change my mind." The man snarled. "Put. That. Down." Sirius hesitated for a second before lowering his wand slightly. "Good dog." Voldemort sneered. "To explain, as apparently your walnut brain can't follow my reasoning: You are now declared officially dead, which means the Order that you don't want to join anymore will not think much of it when you don't return and will not hunt you down when they notice you have changed your mind about them. I guaranteed your safety, you fool."

Sirius gaped at the man. "But... but why?" he sputtered. "I'm your enemy! You don't even like me!"

"But I do." Harry butted in. "You're my godfather… I can't just throw you back in Dumbledore's clutches anymore."

"You knew of this then?"

"Not when it happened, but shortly after, yes, when we restored the mind-link. And if you don't want to be around us, this manor is basically a maze and has wings that are never used, even though the house-elves keep them clean."

"No matter how big the prison, it's still a prison." Sirius replied bitterly.

"Where would you go then? You were also practically a prisoner when you were in the Order, and the Ministry still thinks you're a criminal. This place is a lot more comfortable than your old house for sure… and a lot safer too."

"Wasn't even at my old house anymore anyways since the raid… you wrecked it, remember? I was at another headquarters, though I must admit it wasn't very much larger or more comfortable."

"Well then…"

"That still doesn't mean you have the right to keep me here without my consent."

"It's either that, or this day gets erased from your mind." Voldemort said. Sirius sighed deeply, muttering to himself. He'd already thought it would come to this…

"I won't join you." He gritted out. "I will never join you in my life. That's my condition to agreeing to stay here."

"As if I could use someone so hard-headed and… Gryffindor." The Dark Lord replied. "It's bad enough that you'll be in my house. Don't **dare** to try anything funny or you can keep the chimaeras company. Or perhaps I'll just buy a doghouse so you can sleep outside…"

"Very funny."

"Speaking of sleeping, it's late, and you've bothered us long enough with your presence."

"See this as 'code broom closet'," Harry laughed, and Sirius' eyes went wide. While it was clear they had a relationship, he had not exactly thought about the… details regarding that.

"Well…" he started… "Well, at least it's not Skeeter you'll be in the closet with this time."

* * *

"Don't you** dare** tell me how to do my job missy!" the woman yelled, furious, yet looking oddly funny, hair sticking out in strange places and her glasses askew on her nose.

"I will when you do your job better!" Hermione yelled right back, looking equally disheveled, although it gave her a frightening look instead of making her look like a trampled insect. The girl threw another pillow at Rita, not caring for the feathers flying around. "You. Will. Write. What. I. Want." she said, pronouncing each word with a deadly precision.

"I will** write** what the public deserves." Rita sneered back.

"The public deserves the truth! Hard facts! Not a load of gossip to fill the pages!"

"Agree to disagree?"

"I won't agree to anything until you finish that article and rephrase it so people know what is actually going on." Hermione said, her jaw clenched. She took a few angry steps forward and shoved, with surprising strength, the other to the wall, Rita's red, slightly smeared lipstick only an inch away from her face. "Goblins. Wands. Creature rights. I want it **all** in there Rita, and you are **not** going to stop me. If I have to I will write it myself and force that magical signature out of your wrist. We need to make a stance, and it has to be the same stance Voldemort has on it, even though the people don't know yet."

"And you are sure he has the same opinion as you do? You're daft! Giving those... beasts the right to possess wands… **magic**!"

"We spoke about this… I convinced you every time. And they already** have** magic, this will just give them the means to use it better and to show they are on **equal **footing"

"No, I just shut up about it because I couldn't take your twisted ideas anymore, nodded yes and then did whatever the hell I wanted!"

"It seems so. But you know what Voldemort told you. I am allowed to work on these issues. First goblins, then Dumbledore. And as you are so eager to get your hands dirty in Dumbledore's past, you will have to put up with this first. And as he apparently gave me full reign as he did not add restrictions or even gave his opinion on the matter, we shall do as I say."

Rita pushed the girl away with one hand, her red-painted nails shimmering as she then stroked some loose strands of hair out of her face and tucked them behind her ear. "Tell me again why I shouldn't just leave."

"Oh please," Hermione said, clearly annoyed. "Not this again. You could have left a thousand times already and you know it. So, apart from that Voldemort knows that you are working for me, and also knows your 'secret', you apparently just seem to like me," the girl said with a sweet smile. "Because of course, you could get employment **everywhere**, jobs enough. And I'm sure you could find some very reliable sources who know more about Dumbledore's past on your own."

Rita scowled, took out parchment and quill and pressed the tip of the quill harshly against the yet blank page. "Recite, then." she hissed in between clenched teeth.

* * *

Harry sighed as hands trailed his arms, seeming to take all his worries with him. "I feel filthy," he murmured. "The Shrieking shack wasn't exactly clean."

"Going to let me wait even longer?" Marvolo scowled, winding his arms around the teen. "Though to be fair, you** do** stink love."

"Who said anything about waiting?" Harry twisted away from Marvolo's grip, nearly running to the bath room door, knowing he'd have to be quick, as otherwise he would probably not even get the chance to get the tap water running before he'd be ravished. "Just a second!" he laughed as hands clawed at his robes. Marvolo muttered a spell to undress him, and Harry rolled his eyes. "Merlin, what happened to make you** this** horny?"

"Your existence happened, brat." The man growled into his ear, sending shivers down the teen's spine. He mewled as a wicked tongue traced the shell of his ear.

"You're not playing fair," he complained.

"Of course not, I'm me."

"Could you at least let me get in the bath and get myself cleaned up a bit first? I don't want for the filth to get rubbed on your skin…"

Instead of answering, Marvolo released him and walked down the steps into the small pool himself, sitting down on one of the steps and gesturing in between his legs. "Come sit, I'll clean you."

Harry sighed, shaking his head, but did as asked anyways. He waded into the pool that was still filling up with water and half-swam to Marvolo until he was curled up in front of the man, able to lean his head against the pointy knees. He traced the calves with his fingers, testing the structure of the skin, smooth and soft interrupted by slightly rougher patches of scales. "I've come to like this." Harry softly admitted. "Your new looks, I mean. I can't see why it bothered me so much before."

Water drenched his hair, and droplets slid down his face as Marvolo threw more water over his head. The teen relaxed, leaning forwards, knowing Marvolo's arms were long enough to easily reach him no matter how much he moved his head away. He curled his arms loosely around his own legs, which he had pulled to his chest, concentrating on the feel of hands rubbing his head and back, soaking him. He shivered slightly as his shoulders were still bare, and the freezing body behind him wasn't exactly doing much to warm him up either, but he bore it in silence, concentrating on the pleasant aspects of being bathed by his love. He yelped when the hands suddenly turned slick and even colder, until he realized that the man must have summoned shampoo or something alike. The hands kept lingering lower and lower though, trailing his back under the surface of the pool and sliding closer to his bottom.

He should have expected it really, he'd felt growing feelings of arousal through the link ever since they'd gone to the bedroom, and Marvolo had reached his point of patience. Instead of protesting again, he shifted, turning around so he could place his knees on the lowest step so he would still be able to keep his head above the surface. Teasingly, he gripped his lover's hard shaft and began to stroke it excruciatingly slowly. Marvolo growled, roughly shoving a finger inside of the other, causing Harry to moan loudly and jerk in surprise. His head collided with the hard chest in front of him and stayed there, pressing against the sternum with every thrust. He spread his legs wider, his breath turning shallow as the finger pressed deeper and curled upwards.

"Marvolo…" he panted, grabbing hold of Marvolo's shoulders, nails digging into the flesh as the digit inside of him was joined by a second one. "Have mercy upon my poor soul and don't torment me too long, okay?"

"We shall see," was the man's reply in that smug voice of it that made it clear that the dark Lord knew exactly who was in complete control, making Harry groan in frustration. A gasp was torn from his throat as two fingertips unexpectedly dug into his prostrate, and he gripped on for dear life, wondering if the white stars in front of his eyes were a sign of him going to faint soon. Surely, if Marvolo would keep this up… The fingers suddenly halted and retreated slightly, though still inside of him. "Please me." he heard the man's sultry voice, and Harry looked up, glaring at the other while trying to control his breathing. Nonetheless, he moved his hands down, raking his nails over Marvolo's chest, taking care to rub his finger pads thoroughly against the nipples until they stiffened, before continuing.

The water was hindering and slowing down his movement, and made it more difficult for him to aim, but he awkwardly managed to grasp the engorged head of his love's cock again, caressing it with care. He loved how soft the skin of it felt beneath his fingers, and he reveled in the rare sounds his ministrations evoked in his love. "If you moved up to the edge I could pleasure you better." Harry grinned, giving the other a daring, playful look.

Without a word, Marvolo rose, and Harry licked his lips subconsciously as he watched Marvolo from a viewpoint he rarely got. The water dripped off Marvolo's erection and balls, and Harry got the strange urge to catch the drops with his tongue, but refrained. "Enjoying yourself?" he heard, and met the other's dark gaze, smirking.

"Very much love. You're looking rather delicious."

"I know." the other stated, and Harry rolled his eyes.

"Your ego will explode one day."

"Expand, maybe, but never explode." the man replied with amusement. "Like the universe."

"Are you honestly comparing yourself to the fucking universe…?" the teen asked, exasperated.

"Language…" Marvolo said, completely disregarding the question in favour of making himself as comfortable as he could on the edge of the pool. Harry crawled towards him, not even trying anymore to do it gracefully. He was past the point of having given up trying to be graceful during sex, as he had noticed that Marvolo didn't care much for that and thought of Harry as sexy no matter what he did anyways.

He placed his hands on the man's thighs, eyeing the erection in between them before carefully leaning down, kissing the tip before starting to swirl his tongue over it. He closed his eyes to concentrate on the task at hand, suddenly feeling a hand on his cheek softly caressing him. Marvolo gently pressed his member more firmly against the teen's lips until Harry opened his mouth widely, tongue flicking out for a second, brushing against the sensitive skin again before engulfing the hot tip with his whole mouth.

Marvolo automatically pushed his hips upwards, grasping Harry's hair and keeping a strong grip on it as he pushed himself further towards the other to slide his penis down the teen's throat. Harry heard him hiss and felt pleasure echoing through the link, knowing that the feeling of his lips and his tongue wetting the length was almost too much for the man, who was trying to concentrate on calming his breathing down.

The teen grunted slightly at the tight grip on his hair, and nearly choked when his lover suddenly thrust in. He attempted to swallow his saliva as he felt Marvolo's cock push against the walls of his throat harshly. Pulling back as much as the hand in his hair would allow him to, he regained some control of what was happening in his mouth. Feeling vengeful, he started to suck hard on the member. Marvolo moaned, and must have realized that all the thrusting wasn't very comfortable for Harry, as he pulled out to let the other breath before slipping past his lover's lips again. The head of the cock was throbbing now, the length grown to its fullest extent with precum dripping from the slit, staining Harry's lips and tongue.

"How does it taste?" the man asked hoarsely.

Harry licked his lips, pulling back momentarily to respond. "It tastes absolutely delicious… my lord."

"Brat." Marvolo muttered, smiling smugly.

Harry took the other into his mouth again, bobbing on it for a while, sucking every so often before pulling back again and licking the sides of it, wetness coating his cheeks from the act. He focused on the head of the length, swirling his tongue around it and swiping over the slit enthusiastically. Judging by the increasing frequency of the groans, the other was close, but as Harry didn't feel very satisfied yet himself, he pulled away abruptly with a last suck. Ignoring the snarl, he got to his feet, feeling the fingers slip out of him, placing his feet on either side of the man before squatting down. He took the erection in his hand to position it correctly before sinking down on it, moaning loudly as it breached his walls. He stilled for a moment, wrapping his arms around the man's torso and pressing their lips together in a hungry need to have the man's tongue against his own.

He hissed as the other shifted, rolling his hips to push in further, placing both of his hands on Harry's waist to press him down. He felt himself being penetrated further until the other was fully inside of him, and he clenched down on the cock a few times before finally daring to move, glad he had lubricated the other thoroughly before with his saliva. Hands shifted to his ass, gripping them firmly as he started to move quickly up and down, his own penis hardening instantly as his prostate was assaulted again and long, thin fingers spread his cheeks with every movement. He plundered his lover's mouth, feeling teeth nip at his lips, knowing they would be bruised and sore afterwards, but in the moment he just didn't care. Their combined pleasure coursing through him was erasing all other thoughts, and in a moment of pure euphoria that bordered on agony, he came, spurting his seed over the other's stomach without his cock even having been touched yet.

He slumped against the man, panting heavily, tears having gathered in the corner of his eyes because of the intensity of the sex. He let his head fall on the other's shoulder and tried not to move while he felt Marvolo's cock softening. Strange, in his pleasure he hadn't even noticed the other had reached his peak as well, but he undeniably had, as seed started leaking out off his hole when the man pulled out slowly.

"I'm still not very clean." Harry muttered, smirking.

"Clean enough, and nothing that can't be fixed with a Scourgify."

"Why do you even have a bathtub... pool... whatever."

"To make love to you in it of course." Marvolo answered, burying his face into Harry's hair, nuzzling it. Harry smiled, hugging the man tightly. He shivered as his body quickly started to lose its warmth, and Marvolo summoned a towel before helping Harry get up and then wrapping him with the soft fabric. He picked the teen up, who was already dozing off slightly, feeling light-headed and drowsy, and carried him to the bed. Harry groaned contently as his back touched the soft mattress, and he instantly curled into the masses of silk sheets. Marvolo smiled and headed back to the bathroom to empty the pool and clean himself before joining his lover in bed. Harry was already half asleep, but still automatically cuddled close to the other, placing his ear over the man's heart, before finally nodding off to the thudding sounds.

* * *

The sky passed in a blur of mostly blue and black, but sometimes he was briefly aware of orange and pink hues shooting past his vision as well. He could feel his own heart thudding loudly and his breath, erratic, trying to remain at one tempo but failing. The scales beneath him were hard, but gave him the stability he needed, and whenever it scraped his skin open he was thankful, for the pain kept him awake while his magic was trying to drain him. He had succeeded, but the cost was heavy, and became heavier with each mile they flew and every dragon that joined their group.

His eyes were filled with black now, and he couldn't make out whether it was the black from the sky, from Xaphia's scales or because his eyes had fallen close. He was just so… tired. The invisibility shields he had created worked perfectly, but he had needed to anchor it to himself, and connect it to every dragon near him so they would still be visible to him, and they could fall back on his magic that was constantly feeding the shields around their bodies. But while he had power, it seemed too much for him. How long had they been flying? Days? Shouldn't they have reached their destination yet? How many times he had wished they would…

Muscles flowed beneath him and with heavy whooshing sounds, followed by a loud thud that made his whole body shake, the dragon who carried him hit the ground. Teeth carefully grabbed his robe and pulled him in the air like a ragdoll, only to lay him down on the ground. Charlie moaned in anguish, his body hurting as it bent in another position than the one he'd been lying in for a long, long time. He tried to suck oxygen into his lungs, but his ribcage seemed to burst and then implode with every haul of air. Something heavy nudged him, and he managed to pry his eyes open far enough to see a dark blue, gleaming…** thing** before his head rolled away against his will and a whole other darkness washed over him.

XxX

Huffing, the dragon nudged the limp body a few times more before giving up, smoke spiraling from the creatures' nostrils. He released a cry in signal for the other dragons to come down, and they listened, dropping to the ground one by one. This was it, the place they should be, the dragon could feel it in his very bones and smell it in the land. His human had lived here for years, or somewhere close to here. The wind still carried the echoes of the past, and Xaphia rolled his eyes and inhaled deeply to consume those echoes, seeing the past as clearly as a centaur could watch the moon rise and sink again behind the never-disappearing line in the distance. Humans... one in particular that appealed to him, and a myriad of creatures roamed and had roamed these lands for ages, mainly huddling together in the valleys and forests, leaving the barren mountain slopes uncivilized and perfect for his own kind. He sniffed up tendrils of a memory he found, of a younger Dragonheart who ventured far past the barriers of his second home to take care of a nest of Ashwinders. Charlie, they called him… A name unfitting for one so strong as his chosen one.

A female approached him, most likely to check up on his Dragonheart, but he hissed for her to stay away, instantly adapting a fighting stance, spikes angrily protruding, cleaving the air as his claws scraped against the stone beneath his paws, tearing it up in a clear warning. His wings flared as she had the audacity to step even closer, after which she** finally** backed off, and Xaphia jumped on top of his human, hovering over him protectively, paws on either side of his Dragonheart. Lovingly, he bent down, pushing his snout against the warm cheek, snuffing up the red strands of hair. He just hoped his human would wake up soon and see that they finally were where he wanted to be, in the mountains near the stronghold filled with magic and nestlings.

* * *

xx GeMerope


	37. Part II Chapter XII

Visitor 37

So, first real new post instead of a re-upload on this account.. for those of you who instantly jumped to this chap or forgot to read the AN in the first chap, I am elfinmyth, and needed a new account for my M-rated work, basically. Sadly only about 80 of the previous 1750 followers seem to have found this story again, but I hope to entertain those 80 readers with the following chapter :P  
Thank you especially to all those who missed my AN's on my other account before they got removed and asked me where the story had gone through PM ^^ I'm glad you like the story that much!

It's probably more than a year ago since I wrote the chapter where Harry went through an ibu, so I'll explain the concept once more: it's a state where your magic retreats to somewhere it can't be reached after heavy magical exhaustion, so it can heal and multiply. The magician won't be able to cast any spells and will be forced to live as a squib for some time.

* * *

While a very seldom seen smile adorned his face, a short man, covered head to toe in an odd, furry grey cloak, strode through the shadowy corridors of the castle. It was late in the evening and the suits of armour and stone statues looked grim and cold, the reason for the man's cheerfulness unclear. The figure hurried onwards, before stopping in front of a wooden door, not unlike the others, were it not for the fact that from underneath it, the only light in the castle seemed to seep.

"Good evening, Athiyeh," he said upon entering, voice gruff, sounding as if it wasn't often used.

"Night, rather," the only other occupant of the room answered. He was tall, with caramel-coloured skin and half-long hair, scars criss-crossing the exposed skin of his face and neck, his tone low. "What brings you here? And don't tell me I make such good company."

"Don't worry, you don't," Eyolf replied. "I merely wanted to discuss the last happenings with you." After that, he narrowed his eyes and sniffed the air, before raised a bushy eyebrow. "**Saffron**?" he asked, surprised, and Sameer's eyes quickly flicked to the incense stick that stood on a nearby table.

"None of your business. And yes, I heard… The castle hasn't been decorated in black banners for nothing. Apparently we are in need of a few new teachers?"

"Trelawney died in the battle, and Sprout as well. The rest of those who are in the Order was either at other headquarters or here at Hogwarts."

"Do you know if the Dark Lord is concerning himself with this issue? It would be a prime opportunity…" Sameer said, pondering silently.

"Sadly, no news from that side. If Dumbledore won't find any other teachers though, the Board will, and most on the School Board are on our side. I don't know whether he'll succeed or not. On one hand, Divination and Herbology are no courses like DADA, for which hardly anyone wants to apply, but on the other hand, Dumbledore is losing his popularity, and Hogwarts isn't seen as very safe anymore. Anyone applying here, willing to work with Dumbledore, would instantly be seen as an enemy of the Dark… Even the teachers who aren't in the Order and have little to do with Dumbledore are my targets."

"You have to spy on them?"

"Naturally." The assassin answered in a cool voice. "Their every move is documented and sent to Voldemort."

Sameer's hand twitched at the name, a movement at which the other man raised his eyebrows, but didn't comment further.

"Since when do you call him by that name?"

"Since he's not around to hear it. It's not as if he has fairies floating around and blabbing to him about whether or not you call him 'Dark Lord', 'Voldemort' or 'Fifi'," Eyolf huffed, shrugging one of his shoulders. He ignored the choked noise Sameer made and started picking his nails. "Also, do you have any information about what Dumbledore is currently doing? You had a short talk with him before, didn't you?"

"It was merely to update me about that Hogwarts is in a crisis, and he recommended me to keep a low profile if I didn't want to join the Order."

"He asked you to join?" the assassin sharply said.

"Basically."

"You** declined**?"

"I do have my pride." Sameer answered, leaning back in his chair. "Yes, I know it would be a great opportunity to spy, but I would, for the sake of appearances, have to fight with the Order, against my fellow brothers and sisters on the Dark Side. I swore my life to the Dark Lord, and will never do anything that could negatively affect him. That includes harming those on the Dark Side to convince Dumbledore I'm on his side. I am perfectly content to hide behind my 'Ministry worker' mask and tell him off with the lie of that my loyalty lies in the 'Neutral' area."

"You don't believe in the greater good? A few lives now to save a lot later?" Eyolf asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Not until I think it is the only way."

"You are very lucky to have escaped the Guild. Your ideals would not have survived. They would have either died during brainwashing, or with you."

"I never said I wasn't lucky. Now for something else, I received post for you."

"And you only tell me now?" the assassin hissed. "I agreed to let you handle any owls in my name as it would be suspicious for me to receive any, but you** should** have told me the minute it arrived!

"It arrived only a few hours ago… I didn't have time"

"You have seas of time," the other grumbled, after which Sameer rose with surprising quickness from his chair, his hands balled at his side.

"Don't you dare act high and mighty. You don't know me, or anything about me apart from how I escaped the Guild. You know nothing of my sacrifices, and your sentences just now proved it again. Seas of time? That there are no students in the castle whom I have to teach, doesn't mean I can spend my day lazing around. I have numerous tasks that keep me busy, and every minute I have to spare is time lost to me as well," Sameer bit with uncharacteristic fierceness. "Don't you dare to judge merely by observing."

The other kept silent during the tirade, and took a few steps forward, placing his hand on the other's shoulder to push him back down in the chair. "Well, no need to get worked up. My apologies if I offended you. I should have taken… every one of my senses into account, not merely my eyes, when I saw you sitting with yours closed for hours," Eyolf gruffly said, nodding his head to the incense stick, of which the smoke was still filling the room. "Now, could I have my mail?"

"Of course…" Sameer answered, releasing a long breath while he pulled out a letter from within his robes. "I must say, I was glad that the castle was empty. Crows are unusual message birds."

"A crow?" Eyolf asked, his head jerking up.

"You know who it's from then?"

"I have a hunch. I will look at it… later."

"Was there anything else you wished to discuss?" Sameer asked.

"I do now I have this… No matter the content, I will need to get away from Hogwarts for at least a day because of this. When Dumbledore asks where I am, or anyone else, make something up for me. I'll inform you of when I will be gone." The other nodded, so wise as to not ask for further details. "Also, it seems the Order is upset about a missing member… Black has disappeared."

The other's eyes widened as he heard the news. "That is either very bad or very good news… It can mean that the Dark Lord hunted him down and made him disappear, or that Black came up with a plan to 'save' his godson all on his own as Dumbledore didn't let him."

"If it's the latter, we really do have a problem. He may have lost his touch and gone slightly crazy, but he used to be a top-Auror… That so many people readily believed him to be a mass murderer and the betrayer of the Potters wasn't because everyone saw him as such a lovable person. When he was convicted, no-one even thought of the possibility of him being innocent. From what I've heard and seen of him, he really can be ruthless when he feels the need to. All the better that Potter will get some… extra protection." Eyolf stated, his fingers drumming on the envelope. "That boy is a storm, powerful, but out of control, not knowing where he is heading himself, his impact far greater than he can oversee."

"You don't like him? He seemed nice enough when I met him… Although when I arrived at the castle and taught him, he seemed a lot... different."

"I've seen him immensely enjoy a lesson in torture from the Dark Lord..." the assassin spoke quietly, but his fond tone went against his words and didn't quite fit the content.

Sameer gave the other a calculating look before shrugging it off. "Any more sudden news?"

"I hear a lot, but most of it isn't your concern… I shall return to my room now. Good night."

When the grey-cloaked man was gone, Sameer walked over to his desk, leaning his palms on the oaken surface. His hand wandered over a few books before he finally grabbed one, a thick, dusty tome, and returned to his seat, making sure the incense was still burning before he cracked the book open, chanted a small spell, and closed his eyes.

* * *

_March to equality continues_

_by Rita Skeeter_

_Through all the chaos, there has been one side that keeps a distance from the war. What is this side and why do they seem to be unaffected by everything? The answer is simple. A race that wizards have always denied as having any intelligence as all, has grown out to be a formidable nation: Goblins. They have kept our money safe for eras, and in turn, we have shunned them and denied them all and every right they tried to gain. But why are we fighting for equal rights for all, when we are forgetting one obvious, important group? True, our history with them has been bloody, but isn't that even one more reason to try and leave the past behind? The Dark wants equality without exception, and will listen to the cries of all those who ask, to be judged fairly. Goblins have magic, their own, unique type of magic, but they can only use it rudimentary as they have been forbidden by Wizarding laws to bear a means to channel their magic. I do hope that you share our opinion, as for the first time in centuries, there is a wizard powerful enough to put a stop to the wand-ban for Goblins._

"Happy?" Rita sneered.

"Very," the other replied, a pleased smile on her face as she closed the Quibbler. "Yes, I'm very happy about this. Finally, there will be less injustice in the world."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that. Goblins are nasty little creatures. They'll take whatever they can get. Offer them this, and they'll keep demanding for more. I warn you, Granger, you don't know what you have unleashed!"

"Granger, is it now?" the girl hissed, her eyes narrowing in a cat-like fashion. "I do believe, Rita, that we're far past the point where one will call the other on first-name base."

"You're disillusioned, brat. The wizards will never agree, and I dare to say the Goblins won't either."

"Why wouldn't they? This is what they want…"

"But not in the way they want it… They're no diplomats, those creatures of the earth. They want to achieve victory through bloodshed, not talking."

"It will still be the only way for them to get what they want at all… surely they'll be happy…"

"About as happy as if you were to force clothes on elves to 'free' them! You're not playing by their rules Hermione! You'll make not only enemies in the Wizarding world, but also among the goblins!"

"I would almost say you're concerned for me…" Hermione threw back, lifting her chin. Rita pressed her red lips together until they former a thin line, and leaned forwards, her face close to the other's.

"And what if I am?" she whispered, fury still in her voice, before she abruptly pulled away and stormed out of the room, leaving the girl speechless, her hands clutching the draft version of the article.

* * *

Harry awoke to the most peculiar sound... it somehow reminded him of his aunt Marge, and he knew that he'd definitely not been awoken to it for years... He groaned, burying his face in his pillow and pulling the blankets over himself as the yowling and yapping continued. Someone next to him roughly left the bed, and Harry thankfully accepted the rest of the blanket, pulling all of it over his ears.

"I'll** kill** the mutt!" he heard a voice growl before hurried, harsh footsteps left the room. It was only then that Harry's mind vaguely registered what the sound had to be, and he mentally rolled his eyes. Trust Sirius to try and wake everyone up in the morning. Maybe that dog house idea of Marvolo wasn't so bad after all… he yawned, not bothered enough to leave his warm, comfy spot, but his eyes snapped open when the happy barking turned into a pained whine before falling silent.

In record time, he'd left the bed, threw a robe on and hurried towards the spot his sudden, thudding headache originated from. Fearing for the worst, he opened the door to the dining room, only to breathe in relief when seeing Sirius sitting on the floor, glaring up at Marvolo.

"Eight o'clock! **Eight**!" the other fumed. "**Being in my house means respecting SILENCE.**" Marvolo yelled. Harry slowly slipped in and walked up behind the man before embracing him. The sleepiness started to return to him after finding out Sirius was still alive, and he breathed in deeply, something he should not have done, as the intoxicating smell that suddenly assaulted his nostrils made him moan quietly. Marvolo looked down, suddenly calmed and amused –and if Harry felt his mood correctly, also instantly horny.-

"But…" Sirius started, looking like a beaten puppy. "I thought I smelled a cat."

Two pair of eyes gave him a disbelieving look. "A cat." Marvolo repeated. "You woke the whole manor because you thought you might have smelled a cat."

"Hold on." Harry frowned. "Since when are there cats here?"

"I sometimes bring them as snacks for Nagini and Arzòn when they get tired of rats and mice." The man answered. "But Black, if you cannot contain your… animalistic instincts, go do so outside, or in silence. Or I will make it a lot easier for myself and lock you up after all."

Sirius' face darkened at the threat, and Harry stepped in quickly to avoid further conflict. "Sirius, please. Try not to wake the house before everyone is up yet... or at least us. That being said, your timing wasn't** that** bad. There's a lot to do after all." He turned to Marvolo. "At least, according to Tabby, the whole house had to be polished from cellar to attic because there were guests coming?"

"Yes," Marvolo sighed, "It's been some time since we last met with the Muggles."

Harry narrowed his eyes, remembering Sarah. "I remember," he growled. "What should we answer when they ask after** her**?"

"Nothing. We're above them and don't have to answer to anything they want to know. Do remember that we will be their future rulers. Though in all actuality, I doubt they will ask after her. She should have informed them of her leaving herself. If not, she will never be safe, and she knows that."

"Hold on, Muggles? What Muggles?" Sirius suddenly butted in.

"The Muggles my followers established contact with, Black."

"Wait... you… you actually… Are you inviting** Muggles**? Here? Defiling your house?"

"Yes Sirius," Harry answered, a bit tired of the man already. "Muggles. Here. Talking. Marvolo, do you know when exactly they'll arrive?"

"Not for a while yet. Around nine thirty I believe. However, I did want to eat before that, and there is some work left still that I could move to the morning so I have a bit of spare time in the evening."

"Anything I can help you with?"

"Not exactly. Perhaps you should go and pay Slughorn a visit. I haven't checked on that man in a while yet, not since your last lesson with him. I need to know how his potion stocks are. I assume his collection took a blow after the raid on Friday. I'd appreciate it if you could help him brew some new pepper-up and blood-replenishing potions. They're easy to make, but I need a large quantity of them and he can't look after all cauldrons himself. He is a very good potion master, but sadly he only has two hands and eyes."

"And the House-elves?" Harry asked, not looking forward to spending some hours down in the dungeons standing in potion fumes.

"I can lend you one, but that's all, I'm sorry."

"Better than nothing I suppose. But first, breakfast?"

He got a nod in reply and the three of them walked towards the dining room, Sirius trailing a bit behind while Harry's arms wound around Marvolo's waist.

After breakfast, Harry kissed his lover goodbye and headed for the dungeons, leaving his godfather to fend for himself while Marvolo went to his study for whatever he had to do. Harry smiled to himself. It was probably not the man's intention, but having the evening free matched perfectly with Harry's plans. He didn't have a gift as fancy as his Christmas one, and he doubted he would be able to get anything that could top that, but he did want to spend a thought at his lover's birthday.

He was pretty surprised that all Muggles had replied and were willing to come at this day. Of course, New Year's celebrations were mostly celebrated in the evening, but as Muggles were dependant on slow transport, they wouldn't have time to travel to far-away family after the meeting. Not without the help of magic that is. Harry chewed on his cheek, wondering if it would be a good idea to give them some help, to promote the benefits they'd have in a world that accepted magic.

New Year hadn't been mentioned between the two of them yet, and neither had the fact that it was his love's birthday today. Well, the man had indicated some time ago that he didn't want to celebrate it, and Harry had no intention of putting the man in a foul mood by going against those wishes. Still, it hadn't sat well with him to just let the day pass without doing anything, so he did have a small gift after all, and would just leave unspoken what the reason for giving it were in the first place, preferring to show his care through his actions rather than with words.

He quickly found Slughorn, who had made his home in one of the dungeons, transformed and enlarged so it more resembled a stuffed villa… So unlike Snape, who actually seemed to like the slimy dungeon walls… perhaps because it matched his hair… and personality. Slimy and cold… It had been a long time since he heard anything from his former professor, and he didn't miss the snarky conversations one bit.

That didn't mean that he liked Slughorn any better… The man tried to cling onto his former glory and contacts, pictures of famous people he helped gain their position lining the walls in a desperate attempt to still be associated with them. And amongst them, to Harry's fury, was Lily Potter, her green eyes kind, but Harry couldn't help but avoid them. He knew that in his parent's eyes, he would have betrayed them and everything they stood for. He sometimes thought about whether or not Slughorn had done it intentionally, to remind him of his choices, but if so, it made him only more firm in his decision. He would fight for the freedom he so rightfully deserved.

The potions took his mind off of the whole situation with Sirius for a while, and he was glad to do something with his hands. He ignored any of Slughorn's attempts to make conversation, sighing deeply when the man finally seemed to give up altogether. He couldn't wait for this afternoon to be over, filled with boring talks with Muggles yet again…

XxX

Having been left on his own, Sirius had transformed himself into a dog again, and was stalking in the shadows, pacing up and down, preferring his mind like this. Life was much simpler as a dog… Judging people by their smell and voice instead of their past actions… Sadly, he had used it so much that his human mind and dog mind were blurring together sometimes, and he still couldn't shake his worries about Harry off, and the cold feeling he got whenever thoughts of Voldemort entered his mind.

He raised his head abruptly when the fireplace flared up and Death Eaters stepped through, Muggles clinging onto their hands and cloaks. He growled low when recognising a few of the Death Eaters, having personally fought them before. He wondered about whether or not he should transform back, and in the end decided it might be better, as words were hard to follow when in his animal form. He did still keep in the shadows, and watched as the people took their seats at the long table.

The doors on the other side of the room creaked as they swung open, Voldemort's tall, menacing form striding in, a shorter person with black hair and bright green eyes right behind him. Sirius shivered lightly when seeing Harry like this. In his eyes, the boy had always been so... innocent. To know that Harry wasn't so deep in this because he was forced to but because he wanted to was a hard pill to swallow. He'd always sworn to James, Lily and himself, that he would be a good godfather and keep Harry out of any real trouble, but here he was, watching as his godson took his place on the left side of the most powerful Dark Lord in history, the murderer of the teen's parents.

He didn't think he'd ever be able to understand Harry's choice, or how it had come to be… but he would do his best to honour his promise to his now gone best friends after all. To protect Harry against those who wanted to harm him. And for the first time in his life, he found himself fighting against the Light.

"Black." he suddenly heard, and looked up, tensing, meeting red eyes. "Are you going to stand there and stare or join us? If you don't choose the latter, please remove yourself from this room."

He swallowed and stepped forwards, wondering for how long Voldemort had known he was there. He looked away from the uncomfortable stare and looked at the others in the room, death eaters and Muggles alike, raising his eyebrows when one of the cloaked people suddenly jumped up, followed by another.

"No, you can't be Serious!"  
"Actually brother dear... I think he is."  
"Great master of pranks, teach us!"  
"The most ancient magic of all…"  
"The disappearing act!"

"Silence, both of you." Voldemort cut in, after which they both sat down again, though they had shaken off their hoods, two wild grinning faces looking up at him.

"Since when have** you** joined the Dark?" he asked in astonishment. The Twins merely looked at Voldemort, who waved his hand and rolled his eyes.

"While ago."  
"Got fed up with Dumbles you know?"  
"Never in for a stink bomb, that man."  
"And the doors got warded."  
"So we figured we'd get our info somewhere else."  
"And now we have a shop!"  
"And are filthy rich!"

"Well, good for you guys." Sirius sighed. Nothing would surprise him anymore. "And what about your parents? Are they in on the act?"

Their faces instantly fell, and Sirius tensed up. They couldn't… they couldn't have gone along with this and watched Molly and Arthur fall, right? Harry, he could slightly understand. He'd never known his parents… but the Weasleys had always been a very tight family… to have that torn apart over the war…

"Imprisoned." one of them mumbled. "We still need to try and talk some sense into them."  
"They're brainwashed by Dumbles' ideals and lies."  
"Not sure if he used spells on them like on us but…"

"Now, enough of this, I'm sure we'd all rather be somewhere else today so I shall try to keep this meeting as short as possible. Things I want to discuss are the last updates in this war. Sit down, Black." Sirius moved to one of the few empty chairs and sat in between two Muggles. "Good. Now, you all read the Quibbler now, so I'm sure you've heard some things, but to put it a bit more concrete: Last week there was a clash between the Order of the Phoenix and our Side. The Ministry was held off. Sadly, they seem to have grown explosively, and only a handful was still in the old headquarters. Nonetheless, we trampled them and the reinforcements they sent. They've been thrown off for now and will have to lick their wounds."

"I thought this would go without bloodshed?" One of the Muggles interrupted.

"**Unnecessary** bloodshed. Pitifully, they didn't listen to me and continued to oppose me. Every member of the Order has now been declared an enemy. Exact numbers are not clear, but we have obtained another valuable informant from within the organization, and then there's also mister Black, and a few… prisoners."

Sirius narrowed his eyes. "If you think I'm going to give you information, you snake, then-"

"Sirius." Harry said, with a cold, hard voice, his eyes unrecognisable and stony. "There's no time. If any of us want to be safe, we'll have to stick together, and fight together."

They were interrupted when the fireplace flared up green again, and a tall man stepped in, his blond hair braided back. "Ah, Yaxley." Voldemort said.

"My Lord." the man said, his eyes cold as he kneeled. "You wished for me to come?" Sirius narrowed his eyes. He'd always hated Yaxley immensely… it was one of the Death Eaters who had escaped trial by claiming to be under the influence of the Imperius curse, and evidence had been lacking in the turmoil. Using his connections, Yaxley had not only been let off, but also welcomed in the Ministry, the Law department, no less.

"Yes. Well, your timing is a bit off as I am in the middle of a meeting, but you are free to join… And after I want to discuss something with you."

"Actually," Harry interrupted. "I could talk to him now in another room?"

Eyes met, a pleading green gaze and an annoyed red one, and Sirius smiled behind his hand, knowing Harry was probably searching for an opportunity to ditch a boring meeting.

"Fine," Voldemort hissed after a short battle, even though he was the one who won it. Well, Sirius was pretty sure there was no one whose nerves were made of steel so hard that he would be able to hold the Dark Lord's gaze until said man looked away. Harry nearly jumped up, ignoring the surly look Voldemort gave him, and skipped out of the door, Yaxley on his heels. Sirius sighed and sank back in his chair, wishing to be somewhere else too.

"So, to continue… The order will need time to recover, and that gives us the opportunity to grow. The late minister of Magic has… disappeared. He could either be killed by one of the parties, or have fled, or be imprisoned, but in either case, he's not in office anymore and elections will follow soon. Because of the war, everything will go in a more hurried pace than usually, so candidates won't have time for a long campaign, a few weeks at most. The Ministry needs another leader, and both we and the order will try our hardest to win this. It's a prime opportunity after all. The one who has the Ministry, now a Neutral side still, will have the advantage of having legitimate power."

"Have you already chosen someone to put forward? And if so, can we meet him or her?"

"I have a few people in mind, but have not yet had the time to discuss it with them. However, in time you shall meet them."

"Please not Malfoy, that slimy git…" Sirius said, making a face.

"Actually, Black, Lucius would make a perfect Minister, in my opinion."

"The world is doomed…" the man muttered, crossing his arms.

"But sadly, Lucius is very busy with other things so we shall see. Onto the next topic: There has been very alarming news from the mainland. Dragons seem to have been stolen, and we are afraid they are going to be used in the war, most likely against their will. There has not been a sign of them, but the disappearance of tens of them has been reported thus far, all different species."

"You mean dragons... actual dragons… exist?" a man spluttered. "I read in that magazine but… I thought it may have been a hoax."

Voldemort sighed and pressed his fingers against where the bridge of his nose would have been if he'd had one. "You just discovered magic is real and wizards and witches exist. Why wouldn't dragons?"

"But... aren't they gigantic? How come they've never been spotted by… satellites or so?"

"Dragons are highly magical beings, and their magic prevents Muggle technology from picking them up. There have been cases of Muggles seeing dragons, but they either didn't live to tell others about it, or were Obliviated by the Ministry to protect the dragon population. After all, they are an endangered species and we didn't want tourists hunting them for resources or souvenirs… Animals like elephants and tigers are being hunted down to extinction for their fur and teeth… Imagine what would happen to dragons, of which there are only a few left. Even when the Muggle and magical worlds will have melded together, there will still be restrictions and barriers. Dragons will probably live in secluded, unpopulated areas, unless they indicate to choose otherwise."

"Indicate…? But they're animals aren't they?"

"Magical, intelligent animals… And I should know, as I am one of the few who can speak their language."

"You can speak with dragons?" a woman asked, astonished. "You didn't lie when you told us you were the most powerful wizard of all time…"

Sirius didn't know whether he wanted to bang his head against the table, laugh hysterically or burst out into tears when he realized it had come to the point where Dark Lord Voldemort was basically worshipped by Muggles.

"Indeed I didn't. But in conclusion, they have disappeared and we are doing our best to locate them so things will not get out of hand. Well, onto the next point. While targeting the Ministry, we can also target Hogwarts. Two teachers died during the attack, and Dumbledore has less than a week to find replacements for them, or the Ministry will do so, even without a Minister appointed. This means that, essentially, it will come down to the School Board, which is mainly in my hands."

"So you will be able to appoint the teachers?"

"Hopefully. I'm not sure though. The positions have been held by the same teachers for years and Dumbledore might be able to find replacements in time. He will surely make it a priority… Well, those were all updates on the war itself… Then there is another thing I wanted to show to all of you. Fred, George…?"

"Yes, my Liege!"  
"Ladies and gentlemen…."  
"**Drumroll! where is our drumrollll!**"  
"Shut it Gred. Anyhow, we present to you!"  
"The one and only…"  
"Or not really but it was the first we made,"  
"Magically powered electrical device!"  
"Not that it's very useful but you know,"  
"Had to start somewhere."  
"And our dad loves rubber duckies so yeah."

This time, Sirius** did** break into a fit of howling laughter as a rubber duckie put a few waddling steps, even though the case where the battery should have been was empty, and instead what looked like three small orbs of light whizzed around it, now and then connecting to the metal things inside of the case.

"The concept is simple: electronics and magic don't go together well."  
"So we simply replaced the electricity by magic,"  
"That has been modified to act as electricity!"  
"No expensive costs,"  
"Easy to generate."  
"And perfectly compatible with other magic, so it will keep working when confronted with that."  
"End of commercial!"

The table was silent for a while, before one of the Muggles hesitatingly raised her hand. "Uhm. Not that it isn't… genius or anything, but what is the use and… why would you replace electricity by a source that can only be generated by a chosen few?"

"The thing is that electronically powered devices often fail when in the presence of magic. If magicians and Muggles are to mingle, this would cause many problems. Trains crashing, batteries dying instantly… now, magic is usually kept behind barriers, as wizards and witches live in communities in villages that can't even be found on Muggle maps. But if we are to spread, and use magic in our everyday lives, it would disrupt a lot of things. Before, I tried to see if there could be found a way to make magic less destructive for it, but that appeared to be impossible after some research. The only other solution to this is to make these devices run on magic, to avoid clashing. And yes, that will mean that there will be a power source that can only be generated by magicians, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Now, large energy companies hold power, also an elite…"

"And the jobs that will be lost with the fall of those companies?"

"Not everyone who works at such a company actually harvests the energy. The majority of those jobs will be kept. Just the power source will change. And as magic is all around us, literally hanging in the air and being generated by all magical beings, we will not run out of it as long as we exist."

"It can actually also be re-used." one of the twins happily said. "Magic replenishes itself when bound to a creature or object, and thus any magically powered device will not run out of its power. And once the object is broken or the owner gets rid of it, any magician can pull the magic away from the object and store that energy, to be recycled. As it's modified magic it can't be pulled inside a person's system anymore, but it can be stored in other objects and re-used."

"How will it be generated en masse though?" Voldemort suddenly asked, clasping his hands together. "I get the nauseating imagine of a farm, tapping magic off wizards."

"Of course not, my Lord!" one exclaimed, horrified.  
"As we said, magic replenishes itself."  
"Wizards and witches could donate small amounts of their magic monthly,"  
"And we have found that, in this form, it grows exponentially."

"Well, keep up the work… this does have merit."

The twins' chests puffed with pride and sat down, snatching the ducky, which had started quacking too, off the table and stuffed it down their pockets. "We also developed and perfected several other items…"  
"Which we could show you after?"

"Make that tomorrow. I want you to pay a visit to your parents after the meeting. And no, they have not been harmed as of yet."

A few of the Muggles threw some strange or pitiful looks at the teens, who ignored them, merely nodding. "Of course, my Lord." they answered simultaneously.

"Are there anymore questions?" Voldemort asked, and Sirius was surprised, having thought the meeting would take far longer than this. Of course, the fact that it was new year might have something to do with it, but then again, the Dark Lord didn't seem like a very celebrationy sort of person who stood outside juggling with sparklers. The twins, however, would most likely spread their fireworks over the whole of Britain if they had any say about it, like they had done in the 'spreading awareness' stage before the Dark Lord had publically announced himself.

None of the Muggles raised their hands, and the meeting was called to a close, although everyone kept hanging around in groups as Voldemort left, Muggles and Death Eaters mingling.

"So, Black… what** are** you doing here?" a low voice sounded next to him. Sirius turned around, instantly raising all his defenses, facing Rodolphus.

"Lestrange… So, is my lovely cousin not here to lick your master's heels?"

"Bellatrix?" Rodolphus asked, looking very surprised. "You have not heard yet? She's been dead… has been for half a year now."

Sirius blinked, not having expected that. His crazy cousin had always seemed so… indestructible. "I… I'm sorry. Well not really, I hated her guts but my condolences at least. She was your wife… Though you don't look too sad."

"Bella and I were married, but friends at best. Usually she seemed like an annoying, bossy kid. I know it might be awful to say it but I'm relieved that she doesn't constantly hang around anymore… I always had to be careful that she didn't suddenly stand atop a pile of dead bodies."

"I see… Still, it's strange to know she won't ever insult me again. Not that I'll miss it, of course. So, you're single now?"

"Not quite. And you?"

"Yeah… never really time to go on dates when you're a convicted criminal hm?"

"Does you being here mean the Dark Lord will clear your name in the end?"

"Suppose it will depend on how things will go… I don't like Dumbledore, but I don't support you lot either."

At that admittance, Rodolphus' face suddenly closed down. "Ah. I see." Sirius raised his eyebrows at the hostility the other was showing and suddenly recalled that the man had also been in Azkaban for a very long time and had been prone to sudden mood shifts there. The other man coldly turned away and Sirius was left a bit lost, before he turned around as well, seeking the only familiar faces, running after two figures of equal height that slipped through the door of the meeting room.

"Hey, guys, wait up!" he shouted, and they stopped, two pair of brown eyes meeting his.

"Sirius." one of them greeted him.

"So, where are you going?"

"Dungeons," the other answered, more solemn than the man had ever seen them. He opened his mouth, realised he was about to say something stupid and swallowed it again.

"Want any support?" he ended up saying, and they hesitated before finally both nodded.

"Maybe if mum and dad see there are other people of the order here…"  
"They might want to listen."  
"I've heard Tonks has joined us too,"  
"But sadly we haven't seen her yet."

"Tonks?" Sirius asked, astonished. "But she** hates** the Dark!"

"Maybe the Dark of before, the Dark her parents knew, but not anymore. The Dark Side is a completely different organisation now it isn't run by a madman anymore."

"Says he," Sirius muttered.

"Says Harry… and we trust Harry. If we can't even trust him anymore we might as well not do anything anymore."  
"Now, shall we go?"

Sirius nodded and trailed behind them as they walked towards the dungeons, and in that moment, Sirius noticed how much they had grown up. Gone were the awkward, dance-like steps and loud bragging voices. They were dangerous, professional and most likely brilliant too. Their little display during the meeting earlier only served to prove that they were only that outgoing because they liked playing with fire, and tried to push the lines constantly to see how far they could go, even during a meeting with the Dark Lord himself. Now, they weren't joking around anymore, and they seemed chillier than he ever remembered seeing them.

The door leading to the dungeons didn't seem abnormal, and neither did the corridor and stairs after that. Sirius more had the idea of a large storage labyrinth than a maze where prisoners were kept, to his surprise. It was surprisingly clean down here, although still cold and moist, and it was even larger than he'd expected. It took quite a few minutes to finally reach the dungeons where people were actually kept, and yet again he was surprised, as most cells were empty.

The Twins suddenly rushed to one though, clinging onto the bars.  
"Mum!"  
"Dad!"

Molly and Arthur looked up from the small prison cell, and tried to move forward but were hindered by the shackles around their wrist and very thin wires that seems to cover their bodies. They looked drained, but otherwise fine, and Sirius was glad that they showed no signs of having been tortured, either physically or mentally.

"Boys... oh my boys…" Molly exclaimed, tears in her eyes. "You came... you came to save us?"

"In a way." one of them replied softly, voice sounding like it was on the verge of breaking. The other carefully wrapped an arm about him, but kept silent.

"But you… you joined Him, didn't you? Your fireworks spread across England… everywhere the Death Eaters went." Arthur suddenly said, looking sad.

"Yes. Which is why we are here… we are allowed to be here."

"Please don't tell me that man is so sick as to let our own children torture us…"Arthur replied, face grim.

"Actually,"  
"He's surprisingly lenient."  
"You would have been killed if it wasn't for us."  
"Well, Harry."

"But all of you... why, why did you join Him? You-Know-Who? After everything he's done and destroyed… He is… wait. Sirius? Is that you?"

"Molly… Arthur." Sirius answered, nodding.

"**You** did this? You worked for Him all along?" Molly asked, suddenly hysterical. "And dragging my children down with you! I knew I had a reason for not trusting you! But how could you?"

"Mum! We aren't here because of Sirius, and as far as we know Sirius doesn't even want to be here!"

"What do you mean?" the short woman demanded, looking fierce even behind bars. "I want an explanation, and I want it now! And… from one of you please, not both at the same time."

"Never at the same time mum!"  
"Only after each other!"  
"But whatever you want." one finished, shrinking back a bit when glared at. "During summer we overheard some conversations between Dumbledore and other Order members… moody and Mundungus to be specific. They were… not pretty. The only thing Dumbledore cares about is himself, really. To reach his goals, he used others, manipulated them… He'd even gone so far as to use mind magic on us to make us behave. Thankfully, it was easy to break once we knew it was there. He'd also did the same to Ron and Hermione… surprisingly not Harry though, but he was using the rest of us to keep Harry in line. However, during the same summer, Harry came into contact with Voldemort, and was finally told things from a different perspective. We met him too, at Hogwarts, in disguise. He actually broke some memory-locks in Ronniekins' mind that Dumbledore had placed there. He and Harry told us what it is the Dark really wants, and yes, that is exactly the same as what he explained when publically announcing his goals. And there isn't much to be said against his goals, is there? Personally, I'd love to be able to practice magic, even in the presence of Muggles."

"Boys, I admit to having had doubts about Dumbledore and his choices before, and after seeing Kingsley's memories of that announcement, I also wondered why we were opposing it… But look at the first war. He made promises and seemed to strive towards his goals and then he strayed… leaving Dumbledore as the only one to trust, the one who cleaned up the mess after You-Know-Who fell."

"Arthur," Sirius suddenly interrupted. "I haven't joined Voldemort, and I most likely never will, but I don't think things will happen like before. He seems to have gained… feelings, no matter how hard it might be to accept seeing him interact like he is an actual human being. I think that's what the order forgot, and what Dumbledore wanted us to forget. Voldemort is a man, a sadistic, psychotic man yes, but not a monster. He is humans, and humans can change."

"What would be powerful to change him?"

"Harry, of course. Isn't it always Harry?" Sirius smiled, and for the first time since he arrived here, he felt pride swell in his chest.

* * *

The world spun as he sat up, colours blurring together. A dull pain throbbed in his head, making it impossible for him to focus on anything. He didn't notice the giant moving shadow until it covered him, and he looked up, eyes narrowed as he tried to keep his pupils fixed on one spot. He closed his eyes again and groaned as he failed to do so. Something cold and hair pushed against his neck, and even through his haze, the man recognised the scales of the dragon he'd spent years with already.

He exhaled slowly, trying to keep his breath regular and calm his brain down. He knew what must have happened… The invisibility shield had been too much for him to take and had magically depleted him, affecting his mind and body as well as he was completely exhausted. He wondered how heavy the backlash would be… His stomach constricted at the prospect of having to go through an ibu at a time like this… Especially now, now he was near his goal… he could not afford losing his magic for some time. It would waste all the time he had gained with the shield…

A low growl sounded in his ear, and he carefully turned around and got up with wobbly legs, holding onto the small spikes on Xaphia's head to steady himself. He breathed in deeply and pressed his forehead against the dragon's snout.

"Hey boy… good to see you're better off than I am." he said, his voice still sounding very weary.

The dragon nudged his head back, and Charlie looked up with confusion, his headache and dizziness finally subsiding a bit. Xaphia looked extremely restless, and nudged him once more with his snout. Finally, Charlie turned around, and the breath nearly got knocked out of him as, from behind a mountain, he could just about see a very familiar lake and the roofs of some towers.

"Hogwarts…" he whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. "It's been so long…"

He smiled to himself, taking in the sight and placing a hand on Xaphia's shoulder blade, caressing the dark blue scales with the tips of his fingers, loving how the heavy muscles rolled beneath them. He looked at the dragon, whose colour contrasted sharply with their surroundings. It was bright day, probably around noon, and although it was very cold, the sky was blue. Charlie shook his head a bit, feeling blood rise to his cheeks when he noticed he was staring, and Xaphia slightly turned his massive head, looking amused and growling playfully, in a way that made Charlie's stomach clench.

"Merlin what's wrong with me..." he muttered under his breath. To distract himself he drew his wand and tried to cast a Lumos, sighing in relief when a light, albeit weak, appeared at the tip. He yelped when teeth grabbed the hood of his cloak and lifted him in the air, to unceremoniously drop him in between the dangerous spikes on Xaphia's back. He only barely had time to grab onto them before they were airborne. He winced as his headache returned sharply, but tried to ignore the pain in favour of laying his eyes on the appearing castle, which he hadn't seen in five years, when he and some of his colleagues had picked up Norbertina.

He wondered where she and the other dragons were… as far as he'd seen, and could see when looking around, Xaphia was the only one here. It made him wonder why, and he hoped that they had found suitable shelters.

XxX

The magic in the stronghold hung thick in the air, and it felt like he was soaring on a warm wind that caressed his scales lovingly, sizzling over the skin on his wings. He shivered lightly, taking pleasure in it, and in the warm presence on his back, pressed tightly against him. He landed against the steep slope of a mountain, claws seeking fixed rock as small gravel fell down. He clambered up a small ledge, the colour of the stones there camouflaging him. His only worry was that Dragonheart's flaming fur would be noticed, but the usually boisterous stronghold felt empty and cold, only echoes of the many voices remaining, though they were fresh, from little over a week. There was only a handful occupants at the moment, and they had retreated far within the safe walls, their skin vulnerable to the wind and cold.

He turned around and made sure his human was sheltered in between his front legs, back pressed against his plated chest. He could feel the rushing blood, and dipped his head to sniff up the scent of the other, shuddering slightly with desire. Brown eyes suddenly gazed into his, and widened. He bent his neck, his human making an odd sound as Xaphia put his snout against Dragonheart's neck and exhaled slowly, warm breath wafting over the other. He shivered again in delight when his name, the name his human had given him and which he couldn't imitate himself, befell from the other's strange, flat snout, and he put a paw against Dragonheart's back, pressing the human against him, pleased when he grew limp and hugged his neck after only a minute of weak struggling.

* * *

To clarify the reason Yaxley was there in case anyone doesn't remember anymore, Harry asked to be taught some more about Wizard Laws, and Yaxley works in Law Enforcement.

And yes, I realise there are some cliffhangers here, but I honestly had NO idea where else to stop :\  
urgh, only 2 more exams and if I don't have any re-sits I'll have summer holiday at last!

Apologies if there are any mistakes in spelling or grammar.. I want to go to bed now and I've only reread about 3/4 so there might be some mistakes in the other quarter that I didn't reread after writing..

Read and Review!  
xx GeMerope


	38. Part II Chapter XIII

Visitor 38

So, last update in a while, as I'll be going on holiday in one and a half week, and I don't think I can finish a chapter before that time! I will have time to write though, but no internet... so I can only upload what I'll write around the 5th of august when I'll hopefully have internet again... But as I'll go to my gf, who is moving, it might also take a while for internet to be set up there... Sorry for the inconvenience!

I hope that you will all like this chapter.  
Bèta'd for once, by my lovely gf :P

* * *

Everyone was silent for a while, the clammy air hanging thick in-between them, before Molly Weasley seemed determined to make everything break and crash in the matter of a few seconds.

"Harry betrayed us. I accepted him as a son, Dumbledore treated him as a grandfather and took care of him, and he just turned his back on all of us. I will never believe anything good about that boy ever again."

"Mother," one of the Twins whispered, jaw clenched and expression twisted, distorted.  
"You're wrong."

"He may have been led astray," she continued, "But I've seen him do things on that battlefield, horrible things. He can't be saved any more so** please** boys, please turn away from him. And you, Sirius, save them!"

The man closed his eyes and exhaled softly, breath shuddering. He knew what the retribution for this would be for them. The only reason they were still alive was because Harry thought it might have been possible to save them from Dumbledore.

"Don't you dare breathe a bad word about my godson," he replied, his only reply before he turned around and walked away, not even very surprised when two pair of footsteps started to follow him. Fred and George would never give this up. They felt at home here, accepted, and somehow, Sirius could understand. At the Light, their dreams had never been taken serious, and they'd had to fight tooth and nail to stick to what they craved, illegally obtain materials because they were not allowed to get them otherwise. And from what he'd heard, the moment they'd joined the Dark their business had been funded and bloomed, their inventions enthusiastically discussed by members of all ranks. No, they would **never** give that up.

The cries of their mother echoed through the tunnels for a while before falling silent, and it was in that moment that one of them asked the other, with a tinge of hope in his voice: "And?"

For once, there was no immediate reply, and Sirius realised that this was one of the few times he'd heard them speak** to** each other.

"I think Dumbledore trusted them to stick to him enough to think he wouldn't need spells. There was nothing to be found. No compulsion spells, no memory blocks, nothing."

Sirius nodded to himself, solemn, feeling for the two boys, looking over his shoulder to see them pull each other close to give and receive a bit of comfort. He really wished there was something he could do, but setting Molly and Arthur free was a bad idea. That wouldn't exactly get him in Voldemort's good graces, and while he would love to protect the Weasleys from harm, he had to think of Harry above all. And from what Molly had just said, he would be setting free Harry's enemies if he would help free the Weasleys. It was a painful choice to make.

Suddenly, rushing footsteps were to be heard from behind them, and they turned around to find a wide-eyed, bewildered Arthur standing in the corridor, looking hopelessly lost.

"Dad? What..?" the Twins asked, hurrying to his side, plucking the small wires from his body.

"I don't know… I… I don't agree with your mother... and I told her that, and suddenly a force pushed me** through** the bars and into the corridor."

"You don't agree?"

"I always considered Harry as family… and the kid has never done anything if he didn't think it was the right thing to do. And Ginny… he saved the life of my daughter. Molly may have conveniently forgotten it, but I have not. And boys… I really am proud of you that you didn't let anyone tell you what to do and what not…" His breath suddenly caught, and to Sirius' horror, Arthur began to cry. "But I also love Molly… what will happen to her? Honestly? If she won't come around?"

"The Dark Lord does not forgive those who speak bad about Harry. Even the life of any Death Eater is forsaken the moment they attack Harry in one way or another."

"That boy always had a massive impact everywhere he went…" the man said, his voice sounding constricted as he tried to control himself and gathered as much dignity again as he could. "Sirius, did you really mean it, when you said You-Know-Who isn't who he was before? If even you, who hated everything he was can defend him…"

"Defend him? Voldemort? I think you misunderstood me Arthur, I hate his guts and think he should be put in Azkaban and Kissed for every single one of his crimes, but sadly that isn't a reality. I am conflicted. I want Harry out of the range of that man, but at the same time I know Harry would rather die than leave by now, and I must admit that from what I have seen, there have been made a lot of changes indeed. The Dark stands for freedom and equality now, instead of terror, and many seem willing to forgive Voldemort's past actions as he's the only one who can fix the world now. It's a crap situation to be in, but for once, he is the lesser of evils. Dumbledore wants power, and to hide every magician away so he can control that community. The Ministry is in chaos but will keep their old, traditional values…" Sirius suddenly halted, a shiver running down his spine when he noticed what he was doing, what he was saying. Had he really just said that the Dark was the best option to join? Had** he**, Sirius Black, who had claimed to stay neutral over and over again, even to Voldemort's face, just defended the man's views and goals?

"Welcome to the Dark, Snuffles," one of the Twins joked.  
"We hope you'll have a nice stay,"  
"And a funky ride."

Sirius groaned, burying his head in his hands. "When did it ever come to this?" he muttered, briefly meeting Arthur's eyes, the man looking just as lost as he felt.

* * *

Impatiently tapping his wand against his shin, Harry sat in the chair in front of Marvolo's desk, pondering on his conversation with Yaxley. It had been… incredibly interesting. He had** finally** been informed of all the little details and loopholes in important laws, and gotten an overview of how Wizarding Law actually worked. The strangest thing with it was that new laws could be written that completely contradicted another one, but other than overwriting it, it could very well be that the old law wouldn't be erased at all, thus making something legal and illegal at the same time. It was a righteous mess, and apparently had been ever since Dumbledore and the Ministry had tried to 'fix' what Marvolo had left behind after dying the first time.

He now also understood the whole confusing mess in his third year when he'd been let off so easily after blowing up Aunt Marge, even though in his second year he'd gotten an official warning that he would be expelled next time he performed under-age magic. Rules had been sharpened over time, but Fudge, being Minister, had needed Harry to like him the second time, and just leafed back in the Law book until he'd gotten to the, still perfectly valid, laws from the time when the legal age for wizards to practise magic had been thirteen instead of seventeen. –which had surprised Harry at first, before Yaxley had explained that it was only logical as magicians only reached the age of eighty to ninety back in those days, still living quite some decades longer than Muggles.

He sighed. While it had been very interesting and he was glad he had been informed, it had been a very long sit, which made him wonder why Marvolo wasn't here yet. The meeting was bound to be finished already. He got up and started to pace, before he suddenly stopped and slapped the palm of his hand against his face.

"I must be overworked or something…" he muttered. "Merlin." He laughed softly at his own stupidity and sat down again, searching in his mind for the link. It had been closed for too long yet again, and while it was oddly relieving to have some more privacy, he also missed the constant stream of thoughts in his head.

It didn't take long before he got a reaction, in the form of curiosity and a slight nudge against his mind.

_Marvolo?_

_Harry? Is something wrong, love?_

_Just wondering where you are… Are the Muggles taking that long?_

_Ah, no, I believe they've all gone. I'm currently speaking with the Twins and their father._

_Mr Weasley? Did their parents come around then?_

_One of them. It seems Molly Weasley thinks you've corrupted her family. Arthur isn't quite that bigoted, although I've still kept the magic-repressing threads on him just in case it's a ploy. Not that I expect it to be… Otherwise the bars wouldn't have let him through, but you can never be cautious enough…_

_Paranoid you mean,_ Harry threw back, amused. He could almost feel the glare in his head.

_**Cautious**_, Marvolo hissed. Anyway_, I am almost done here. I'll leave the rest to the Twins. They are capable enough of keeping their father under control for a while._

_Their father in their joke shop. Now that's something I'd wish to see. What will happen to Mrs Weasley?_

_You know what will happen to her Harry, don't act like you're ignorant. I gave them a chance to save their parents, they saved one even though they were prepared to give up both of them. She will not come around, and once I have extracted useful information from her mind, she will be useless to us all._

Harry sighed. He should have expected it really. It wasn't exactly a shocking revelation. Still, he felt for Mrs Weasley, even though he didn't quite understand her hostility. She had treated him like a son, and while he'd never looked at her as a mother, it did sting that she suddenly placed blame on him for her children choosing their own path. And yes, Harry had helped, but the Twins had actually come to him to convince him that Dumbledore was a bad influence, not the other way around. Then again, she probably wouldn't know that, unless they had told her…

He exhaled again, not feeling much for bothering himself with the whole matter of Mrs Weasley. If she didn't see him as family any more, then he didn't care much any more either. He would like to speak to Mr Weasley though, but preferred to wait until the man had settled and had been updated about the on goings in the Dark.

Harry shivered when he felt Marvolo's presence approaching him, the pressure on his mind becoming heavier, though not uncomfortably so. It felt as if a warm blanket was being put around him, wrapping him in, keeping him safe, whenever his lover was around. He smiled and looked up even before the door opened and the tall form of the man entered the room, his stance regal without him even actively trying to.

"Hello love," Harry said, getting out of the chair to embrace the other, his hug fiercely returned. The teen rubbed his chest against the robe that covered his fiancé's chest, a hand travelling up the all-too familiar path from the waistline up his chest, slipping beneath the fabric. Harry whined when his wrist was caught and pulled away, only to be raised to Marvolo's lips.

"No sex yet, love," the man said, amused.

"Since when are you against having random sex?" Harry sighed, displeased.

"The word 'yet' has an undetermined time span before the inescapable will happen darling, I merely wanted to wait a while. I believe you were waiting for me so anxiously for another reason than to have sex."

"You looked into my mind again!" Harry exclaimed accusingly.

"Not very difficult when we share one and you practically force your thoughts upon me. But don't worry, I do not yet know what your present is, only that you have one for me, which, I must say, was completely unnecessary." Harry sighed. He should have known he couldn't keep a secret from the man he shared a mind with. He was glad that Marvolo had at least had the courtesy to not look further. Harry tried very hard now to not let thoughts of his present surface, and managed to erect some barriers around the images of it, amusing the man to no end. "So determined to not let me know what it is until the last moment?"

Harry shook his head, smiling slightly before he took Marvolo's hand and dragged him with him to the bedroom, as he'd hid the parcel in the drawer of his night-stand. He bit his lip after he'd taken it out of the stand and turned around. "You're not angry?" he asked with a small voice, relieved when the man shook his head and took a step closer.

"Why would I be? We both know I didn't want to celebrate this day, but you didn't exactly go against my wishes by making something grand out of it. I'd be happy to accept this, whatever it might be that you want to give me."

Harry smiled as he saw the genuine warmth in those red eyes, eyes he could now fully see the same emotions in as before they had completely bled to the dark crimson they were now. It only made him feel better about the gift he was about to give. Marvolo carefully took it from him and unwrapped it, Harry watching with rapture as long, elegant fingers finally did a task like this without magic, working quickly on undoing the wrappings, but still without rushing it. Finally, the paper fell away, only to reveal more paper, not the wrapping this time.

Harry nervously swayed from side to side as Marvolo studied the sketches, from the first rough lines he'd drawn years ago when trying to give shape to his nightmares about the cloaked man with the red burning eyes who had haunted his dreams, to the gentler, more detailed sketches from when he'd actually known the man. Marvolo flipped through studies of his own hands and eyes, and gradually came to the last sketches, on which the rougher, scaled texture of his new skin was clearly visible, Harry's attempts to give the man's new looks a place in his mind to accept them.

"Harry… I…" Marvolo started, but his voice broke, and he kept silent, slightly turning his head away from Harry. The teen looked down to the floor quickly, pretending to not have noticed the glistening in the man's eyes, but it was futile, as the onslaught of emotions that crashed through their link had him near gasping for breath.

Wordlessly, he embraced his lover, and Marvolo carefully placed the drawings on his own night-stand before hugging Harry fully, pulling the teen tightly against him, the seemingly frail arms holding a surprising amount of strength.

"I love you," Harry muttered, placing his lips on the side of Marvolo's nape. "Happy B… New Year," he whispered, correcting himself mid-sentence.

The man didn't reply, didn't need to reply, for the return of the sentiment was clear in his every action, in the crushing of those arms that clung to him as if afraid Harry would disappear if he would do so much as breathe. He blinked his own tears away when feeling the wetness slide down his shoulder, merely holding onto this man, wondering how things had come to be this way, how he could have reduced the most powerful, feared man in the world to tears by no more than some pencil and charcoal on paper.

He should have expected it when Marvolo suddenly turned around and pressed him against the bed, lips frantically searching his, a tongue forcefully claiming his mouth. Harry didn't protest, and let himself melt into the kiss and the touches his lover bestowed upon his body, hands mapping every inch of skin that was revealed as Marvolo undid Harry's robes.

"So…" he gasped in a moment the man's lips were some-place else, "is the 'yet' over?"

His only reply was an animalistic growl and teeth that nipped at his neck. Harry laughed and rolled over so he lay on his stomach, groaning softly as hands cupped and rubbed the cheeks of his arse. He could never decide what he loved more, the foreplay, the actual sex or the cuddling and gentle, slow kisses in the afterglow. Shivering in anticipation, he lifted his now revealed arse, swallowing heavily when a thin, cold tongue was dragged over the skin.

Fingers travelled over his arched spine and neck, and his lover's hands seemed to be everywhere at once, stroking his inner thighs to make Harry spread wider, grabbing his hair to pull his head backwards, arms encircling his waist as the man lay down on him and –wait, since when was Marvolo naked as well?- prodded his back –too soon, too much, he wasn't even prepared yet!- and pressed his cock demandingly against the tight ring of muscles, which protested against being pushed apart without so much as lube to ease the intrusion.

Harry cried out and tried to wriggle free, panting heavily when he felt Marvolo's feelings shift from all-consuming passion to realisation and a slight tinge of guilt. He sagged back in the pillows, breath turning to normal again when the weight was lifted from his back and now oily fingers touched his behind. "Apologies," Marvolo muttered. "I didn't realise…" Harry waved it away, glad that the man had kept himself in check before hurting him. "Face me?" the man nearly pleaded, and the teen did so, turning around, spreading his legs instantly again, now eyeing the fingers as they were brought down to prepare him.

He closed his eyes after a few moments of watching the graceful movements, instead concentrating of the feel of slick fingers that moved inside of him. He took deep breaths, trying to keep some amount of control, but he noticed his toes were already curling in pleasure, and a soft moan befell from his lips as the fingers curled slightly. He winced a few times when his lover slowly added a third finger and started stretching him, but he did not complain and hitched his hips, meeting Marvolo's thrusts until his legs felt weak.

He loved this, absolutely loved the intimate feeling sex brought, to have the love they shared expressed through physical means. It hadn't been like this at the start, and while he couldn't say that he regretted jumping into their relationship so quickly, he sometimes wondered how things would have turned out if he had not given in until after he was absolutely certain of his love for this man, instead of going on adrenaline and a crush that had been born out of the attention he had received after starving for love all of his life. Would his first time have been less awkwardness and more… more like this? Or would it have been clumsy on his side either way due to inexperience?

His line of thoughts was cut off again together with his oxygen supply as near non-existent lips pressed against his mouth again, the forked, thin tongue winding itself around Harry's while the fingers were replaced by Marvolo's length, the pain from before only a dull aching after the thorough preparation. Their breaths mingled as Harry sighed into the other's mouth. He wrapped his arms tightly around the man's neck, pulling them together as Marvolo picked up the pace, starting out slowly but quickly building tempo. Harry suddenly hoped that this moment would never end, that the rest of his life would just be one constant stream of Marvolo's love, but he could already feel himself climbing to his climax as his own cock was no longer neglected but rubbed by skilled hands that made him fall apart with each movement.

He cried out his love's name, though the cry was muffled by the mouth that was still pressed tightly to his, swallowing his every sound, and he shook heavily as he came, soiling their skin with his seed. The man came soon after him, grunting as he released his own juices inside of the teen, warming him from inside, the sticky sensation still slightly odd to him, even after months of having sex. Harry didn't move –couldn't move- as Marvolo pulled out and lay beside him, pulling the other in his arms so Harry lied half atop of the man's chest.

"Happy New Year to you too," Marvolo muttered softly, placing a kiss against Harry's sweaty brow. The teen smiled into his lover's chest and snuggled up to him, still drowsy, cooling himself at the other's ever cold skin, lovingly tracing the longest patch of scales, which went from Marvolo's navel down to the base of his cock in a nearly mocking imitation of the hair that should have grown there. He dropped a kiss onto the chest and embraced the other even firmer before nodding off.

* * *

"Surprising location." The man commented, his hawk-like eyes piercing through the darkness, just able to make out the cloaked shape of a woman, who stood so unmoving that only the small puffs of breath that were visible in the cold air ensured him she was breathing.

"I admit to being unaware of that it was even possible for you to be here."

The woman turned, though she did not shrug off her hood. "It is even more surprising to hear you admit to being unaware of anything. So there **are** things that escape your almighty Wizarding senses, oh mighty one" the woman sarcastically replied.

Eyolf gave her a withering glare, not feeling up to bantering with one of such a low rank, protector of his former pupil or not. "You called for this meeting." He stated, his voice hinting towards his curiosity.

The woman approached him cautiously and lifted her head, strands of dirty blonde hair falling from beneath the hood. "Shade. Shay for short," she said curtly. It wasn't an answer to the unspoken question that always preceded the conversation between two people from the world in which given names were rarely, if ever, acknowledged.

"Eyolf," the man brusquely replied, while he nodded his head at her. The air in between them was tense, strained as the conversation that was to come. He was well aware of the massive figurative chasm between the two of them, and even though she had invited him here, on Wizarding territory, as if she was equal to him, both knew with rock-steady certainty that their ranks and abilities were further apart than those of the Dark Lord and his lowest followers.

Shay did not nod to him, or give any other indication of recognition, which irritated him to no end. Who did she think she was, to treat him like this, as if she was not only his equal, but his superior? "I understood that you recommended me to Lord Voldemort?" she asked, her voice as chilly as the air around them. He did not give deny it or agree, simply awaiting her next words. "I wish for more information about Harry Potter. Anything I should know about him that could help or hinder protecting him?"

Eyolf released an irritated sigh, this time not directed at her, but thoughts of the boy. "Well, trying to teach him anything is an absolute don't. He's stubborn-headed, his mood swings all ways every few seconds and he's trying to keep his sense of judgement while still blindly devoted to the Dark Lord, ready to do anything and everything for the man. And yet, Potter is strangely… well I don't quite know how to put him into words. He is irritating, oddly alluring and very dangerous all at once."

"Alluring?"

"Might not have been the best word, but he calls to you… sometimes in pity, sometimes in awe. I got the strange urge to both throw him out of the room and to sit him down and talk to him at the same time."

"And the dangerous part?"

"Other than that he is protected by the most dangerous man on this earth, who will have your head if you do as much as displease Potter, the boy himself is a force to be reckoned with as well. His magic can sometimes lash out. It's violent and sometimes beyond his own control. Then there is the fact that he cares about a lot of people who are from the other side, even though I believe he convinced most of them to join him… But there are bound to be others, people he will not attack full out because he wants to give them a chance… He's a danger to himself."

The woman groaned quietly at hearing Eyolf's last words. "Still, hopefully I will not have to deal with him when he's fighting Wizarding enemies…"

"I wouldn't be too sure about it. Even if that's not what you've been hired for, once Potter gets an idea into his head, he'll run off without thinking."

"You don't like him very much, do you?"

"He's difficult to deal with," the man replied with a gruff voice. Shay's expression didn't change, just casually let her eyes travel over his form, her eyes cold.

"Perhaps you were the difficult one,' she commented, making him narrow his eyes at her.

"And what made you come to that conclusion exactly?" Eyolf replied.

"Thank you, I've heard everything I needed to know." The woman lifted her hood again over her face and turned around, completely disregarding his question. Eyolf's eyes flashed and the earth beneath the woman's feet tried to wrap around her ankles. She laughed and jumped away, a crazed grin on her face as she turned around.

"Oh please, were you not the one who recommended me? Did you honestly think I would fall for such a cheap trick? Do you not remember your own last Muggle hunt?" she spat the words out, and Eyolf took a step back, taking care to not show weakness by touching the scar on his shoulder that never healed, the one and only time one of the Muggles had turned around and fought instead of ran. He'd never known her name, and he'd never seen the little Muggle girl again, with her storm-grey eyes and short hair, caked with filth. He knew who she had grown out to be now, the girl who'd torn the flesh of his shoulder with her teeth, and who had stood her ground even as he had tried to cut her hand off with magic. His eyes briefly flicked towards that same hand, noticing that one of the fingers was a mere stump.

"Oh, I see you remember now," she sneered, spreading her hand for him to get a good look at it. "Muggle hunts… the necessary evil to keep the Guild pure and entertain young magicians at the same time? I bet you weren't amused when you failed to kill me and got in the Infirmary as well."

"You know very well what the purpose for those hunts are!" he bit back. "To train the strong and eliminate the weak… To harden the willpower and increase the skills so Muggle assassins can compete with magical ones…"

"The dead need not increase their skills," she whispered, her eyes filled with hate before she walked away again without another word. Eyolf released a shuddering breath, hands balling into fists, magic thrumming around his hands, his feet and legs shifting minimally, preparing to sprint. He could already see the path he would take, the exact steps and movements. He predicted her reaction and the manoeuvre to dodge it and blast her heart out of her ribcage, a move that had made him famous and feared, but at the last moment, he suddenly remembered that for once, they served the same man.

He exhaled slowly and let his magic retreat, although his eyes weren't any less piercing as he stared at her retreating form. He growled when drops of rain suddenly started to splatter on his clothes, and he brusquely turned away, casting spells that would hide his footsteps and would let him move unnoticed on his way back to the castle.

* * *

"Up already?" Harry asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and yawning. He had been very dissatisfied when waking up and seeing his lover nowhere in sight.

"Work," Marvolo replied curtly, his brow creased as he flipped through a stack of parchment. "I really need to get on schedule with the upcoming elections, love. Our side doesn't even have a list of possible candidates yet, and it was some time ago since I eliminated Fudge.

"I thought you preferred to put Lucius in that position?"

"Yes, yes I do, but there is a problem with that. I also want Lucius on the position he currently has… As you know, he's been gathering information about the possibilities of the usage of magic and Muggle artefacts… And yes, I know I could easily put someone else on there, but my point is that this is mending the feud between the Malfoys and Weasleys. Before, I considered getting him off the job, but now Arthur Weasley is also at the shop of the Twins, it would be very good to show that even two families who used to hate each other are setting aside their differences for the sake of peace and change."

"On the other hand, I don't think Arthur knows about the Twins' ties with Lucius… he might object, those men absolutely loathe each other, and frankly, I can't blame Mr Weasley for that. Lucius may be nice to me now, but he's an absolute ass to anyone he thinks beneath him."

"Well, he has every right to," Marvolo growled. "Weasley** is** beneath him. Filthy blood-traitor…"

Harry groaned and rubbed his forehead. "If you're going to spout blood-purity again, please remember your own line, yes? Or mine. I don't see you condoning Pure-bloods ordering us around."

Marvolo glared at him, but kept silent, hypocrite that he was…

"Back to the matter at hand, I'm still in two minds about what would be the best solution…"

"Are there any other good candidates?"

"Not many… I do want it to be one of my Inner Circle, to make it abundantly clear where their loyalties lie… But it can't be anyone with a criminal record, and he or she will need to have enough contacts in the Ministry and current power to be considered a worthy candidate…"

"Is it really a good idea to pick one of your Inner Circle…? As far as I know, the Dark is still a minority…"

"And yet, we have enough support. Don't forget that voting is anonymous, and many people have not joined us because they're afraid of what their family and friends would say if they knew they were dark… From what Tonks told me, even some of the Order think we have good ideas… By clearly stating that the candidate is Dark, all dark supporters will vote for that person. If you leave it in the middle, their votes might go out to candidates who placed themselves in the competition, and were not placed there by Dumbledore or me."

"When you say 'he or she' though, I assume you mean 'he'. Both women in the Inner Circle died… Not that I would have liked to have either Bellatrix or Alecto on the throne…"

"It's a shame so few women want to fight… or are allowed to fight," Marvolo sighed. "But I would lose many of my followers if I suddenly started fighting ancient traditions, especially because I don't even know the women's own opinions on the matter. For all I know, they like being holed up."

"I highly doubt it," Harry frowned. "But yeah, you can't go making assumptions, I suppose, and Narcissa, for one, seemed happy enough. I must say that I don't really know a lot about women's rights in the magical world… nor the Muggle, really."

"Women have always had more rights here than in the Muggle world… Right to vote, right to divorce, all of it was established long before Muggles created those same laws for women. However, in pure-blood society, the ancient families, people usually stick to older laws, which limit these rights again."

"And as old laws are not overwritten when a new law is made, it's perfectly legal…" Harry sighed. "I understand."

"It won't be legal for much longer though," Marvolo said. "I plan to completely revise the law book, and make contradicting laws invalid. That will, however, have to be discussed with, for example, the Wizengamot, and also the Muggle government as we will mainly live under their laws and within their society."

"I thought you planned to implement our laws on Muggle society as well?"

"Some of them, not all, but regarding equality rights, I will try to implement them in Muggle society if they haven't already, yes. There are some of their laws, however, that have no link to magicians, and will remain unchanged and only applicable to Muggles."

"Back to election candidates though… Your requirements are pretty specific, and the only ones who meet them all are Lucius and... Yaxley I think."

"Yes, I know… I also know that Yaxley is quite happy where he is right now though… I will have to speak with them both to see what is best to do."

"Are there already rumours about other candidates?"

"No, but I can't imagine Dumbledore putting anyone else than Kingsley forwards, he's liked by the public, an Auror and has a clean record. And then there's Scrimgeour, the current head of the Auror Office… I can imagine him taking this opportunity to rise up in the ranks. As far as I know, he doesn't like Dumbledore, but he is firmly against Dark magic as well, and hunted down quite a few of my followers. He's a hardened war veteran and could have been part of the Ef's, but he did not feel anything for being part of a subgroup that stood under direct command of Fudge… or so he thought"

"Speaking of the Ef's… no possible candidates there? If only to pull away votes from Kingsley or Scrimgeour? As their loyalties aren't well known, people voting 'Neutral' will be more likely to go for Scrimgeour, but if all people who want to vote neutral do so, that man may get the majority of votes…"

"Good idea," Marvolo said, surprised at the insight Harry was showing. "However, I need the Ef's for special missions, but I can put someone else forward who does not have clear ties with the Dark, but works in the Ministry."

"I wonder what would happen if you elected yourself," Harry smirked, and Marvolo shook his head.

"Not a good idea. I need a spokesperson… I don't think it'll be a good idea for me to mingle in politics myself. I'd end up killing too many…"

Harry laughed, able to imagine it far too well, and he moved until he sat on Marvolo's lap, snuggling against the man's chest. "Yeah, not a good idea…" he grinned, pecking the man on the lips. And of course, someone used that perfect 'start of sex' moment, to barge in.

"Black!" Marvolo spat, his eyes flashing dangerously. "What is it** now**!"

Sirius yelped and averted his eyes, dramatically outstretching his hands and turning his head away. "Am I nowhere safe!" Harry's godfather exclaimed.

"Not if you intrude in my study room," Marvolo hissed, not in the mood to feel amused about Sirius' antics. Harry, though, suddenly perked up, his expression one of enlightenment.

"Love... love, I believe I suddenly have the perfect idea!"

"That can't bring a lot of good," Marvolo dryly commented, but he was ignored by Harry. "What is it?"

"How does 'Sirius Black, Minister of Magic', sound?"

Both men seemed to choke on air, Marvolo's rich laughter filling the room while Sirius seemed to need a spell to regain his breath.

"Black? Minister? When exactly did you hit your head?"

"Not funny, I'm serious," Harry frowned, earning him two incredulous looks. "Come** on**, can neither of you see the merits of this?"

Marvolo narrowed his eyes, and, seeing Harry indeed was serious, sank into thought, his fingers slowly tapping on the arm rest of his chair.

"You can't be considering this," Sirius said, grimacing. "I mean, honestly, me as Minister of Magic? Do remember I'm still a convicted criminal…"

"Do remember we have Wormtail, and the Order would be only too happy to have you as a free man. Your 'prisoner status' has lost its benefit to Dumbledore… The Order trusts you still, as they don't know you are here, and the Dark knows that you are on our side now…"

"Well, then they know more than I do, because, as I stated quite a few times before, I. Won't. Work. For you."

"Once your name is cleared, if you put yourself forward," Harry commented, "There is a chance that both the Order will vote for you, the Neutral people as they don't know about your ties to either the Order and the dark, only that you used to be a top Auror**, **survived Azkaban while you were innocent** and** managed to not fall into the hands of those who wanted to send you back there. And then there is the Dark, and everyone knows you are here now…"

"Not the supporters," Marvolo frowned.

"But all dark supporters have a subscription to the Quibbler, which is** still** a banned magazine, and sent to subscribers, in disguise. Moreover, Rodolphus checked everyone who did subscribe to the magazine, and as far as he found, the Order rejected it since it had 'gone dark', and everyone in the Ministry who isn't sure about what side to pick is too afraid to be found with it in their homes."

"Some of the Order are still bound to have it…" Sirius threw in. "They use it to keep track of what news the dark is spreading. You aren't the only one with infiltrators… Some people on the 'Dark' are spies for the Order. And then there is still the fact that I am not interested in politics, **and** that I'm not on your side… How many times will I need to repeat that last bit?"

"Clearly more than once, especially after what you told the Twins and Arthur Weasley earlier. It's no use telling me that you don't want to join me when you defend my side to others…" Sirius groaned. "And furthermore, you not being interested in politics doesn't mean that you wouldn't be able to take the position. Granted, you will need advisers, but in the end you'll just do what I tell you to anyway And in your own way, you'll be able to de-corrupt the Ministry. You do have all necessary knowledge of how everything works, I presume."

"Yes," Sirius grudgingly admitted. "I had to learn when I was a child and teen. That was, however, quite some years ago."

"The Wizarding world hardly changed since then."

"I'll need to think on this."

"Understandable. But don't forget that this way, you can not only manipulate the Ministry, but also Dumbledore and, quite possibly, me. You will hold much power, Black… And if you think a law is unjust, you have the power to scrap or adapt it… Everything that goes on in the Ministry will need to be approved by you and answer to you… You can get back on everyone who wronged you… And with the laws I want established, you'll go down in history as the greatest Minister of all times…"

Sirius gnashed his teeth together, and Harry could see that he was actually considering it. He crossed his fingers and took a deep breath. "Sirius, don't see it as helping the Dark then, see it as a good opportunity to change this world for the better. Fudge was lazy and let other people handle things, but you won't have to leave everything to lackeys. I know you're a man of action, and I truly do believe that you would be able to handle the position. You've been an Auror, and people will think twice about assassinating you, you're strong-willed and stubborn, and in these times, a leader is needed who will fight with his people instead of sit back. Please, please take this offer…"

Sirius seemed to lose all his childishness in that moment, his eyes bright and his arms folded across his chest as he peered out of the window, his mouth a grim line. Harry blinked, looking at his godfather in wonder, reminded of the first time he'd seen Sirius as thoughtful as this, right before the man had asked him to come live with him.

"I will think on it," Sirius muttered. "I can't make a rash decision that will change my whole life. But I promise you I'll consider it." With that, he turned around and walked out of the door after thoughtlessly nodding towards the two of them. Harry felt Marvolo's arms tighten around him and he turned to face the man again.

"Now who has stupid ideas?" Harry whispered, shut up by another kiss.

* * *

Charlie stretched his back, not very surprised when his hands collided with hard material. Xaphia followed him everywhere nowadays, stalking after him like a shadow, but oddly, the possessiveness wasn't constricting. He would say that the dragon behaved like a mother hen, but somehow that metaphor didn't seem quite right, even though all behaviour pointed that way. The man was now strolling through the meadows and forests that surrounded Hogwarts, and was very glad for the fact that Xaphia led them all here. He didn't quite know how the dragon had found the castle, seeing as he'd never been here before, but Charlie did know that dragons had quite a lot more senses and abilities than humans.

He briefly watched the Steambellies, which had cause him so much trouble on the way here when they'd still gone by foot, play in the stream, clouds of fog rising from the water as their hot skin made contact with the water. Teeth suddenly snapped close near his head, and he looked to his right to see Xaphia chewing happily on a squirrel that hadn't been fast enough. Charlie left him to it and went to sit down on a tree stump that had been overgrown with a soft layer of moss. Putting his head in his hands, he wondered on 'what next'. They had reached Britain now, and found a suitable place to stay… Now he would need to gather news and make his alliance clear. He sincerely hoped that his parents and brothers would forgive him for the side he would have to choose…

Wrapping his arms tightly around his body, he remembered the flashes of visions he'd had at the centaur camp… Different paths the future would be able to take, and his own, crucial role in deciding what future would become reality. He'd seen battlefields with dragons, lying broken and bloody on the ground, he'd seen them slaughtered by Muggle hands, teeth and horns pulled out of the mighty creatures, some still alive… The memories nearly made him vomit, but he knew that, if he would do nothing, these memories might become a very real future.

And yet… Was he being selfish? Would this not be a necessary evil? He knew the horrors You-Know-Who had committed, and though the man favoured serpents, and would protect this noble race, Charlie might be giving up the lives of his own family in return… It was a very hard choice to make, and as that reality crashed down on him, tears started to make their way down his cheeks at last.

But his dragons… his darlings, would need all protection they could get...

He looked up to Xaphia, who stood before him all of a sudden, and who lowered his giant head. The dragon shocked Charlie by suddenly dragging a hot tongue over his face, licking up the salty trails. "Xaphia!" Charlie exclaimed, feeling highly uncomfortable when the dragon continued licking even after the tears were all gone. His eyes went to the stream, but it was empty now, and as he looked around, he noticed they were alone.

He let out a surprised cry when he was pushed off of the trunk, his back hitting ground, and a paw was on his chest. When looking alongside the black, sleek body, he noticed Xaphia's tail was swishing slowly and low over the ground, with the last few spikes on it aggressively raised upwards into the air. He gulped and groaned as a lot of the dragon's behaviour suddenly became clear to him, and he hardly dared to meet Xaphia's eyes, of which the pupils were now dilated, much like a human's would. Nonetheless, Charlie pushed the paw away, Xaphia's tail stilling mid-air and drooping slightly while the back hunched minimally.

"Xaphia…" he sighed, closing his eyes. He struggled with his feelings, his heart hammering in his chest as he remembered all the times the dragon had suddenly pulled him against the scaled skin, or when warm breath had been puffed into his face, messing up his hair… "This is impossible," he whispered, stomach clenching. "and you know it," he continued, new tears already welling up as he averted his face while the dragon suddenly turned around and stormed away, knocking over a couple of young trees, an anguished cry tearing at his eardrums.

XxX

How… **How**? How had the air changed so much in such a short time, the burning orb of day not even shifting more than a wing span in the sky? The red haze that had dominated the meadow for moments, making the other dragons, those of an unworthy kind, flee, had shifted into cold grey the moment Dragonheart had placed the naked paw upon his and pushed him away. He did not understand… did not want to understand. Of course, there would be trouble! Dragonheart was not one of them, after all, not really, and he did not know all of the ancient rites and could not sing the songs of earth, but he could learn… he could try… just like he, Xaphia, was willing to try and learn the ways of humans.

Why... why… He landed harshly, nearly crashing on the ground, rolling over to stop himself with his body, which scraped over the ground. He clawed at some rocks, completely demolishing them in his grief before looking up at the sky and howling out again. At long last, he placed his head in between his paws, watching at the colours faded, while the contours of the plants became sharper. He breathed out slowly, calming down slightly. Heavy sounds approached him and he looked up, growling in warning as one of the females approached him. He was ready to attack her when she lay down next to him, but before he could do anything, she released the soft, thrilling sound of peace.

Slightly curious, he waited as her snout touched his temple and a stream of her memories entered his mind. A storm of images crashed down on him, and long after she had withdrawn, he watched the images, surprised to find that she had hatched here, near the castle. Dragonheart had taken her away to other dragons and nursed her until she was strong enough to fly, after which she had taken a liking in a small, green male dragon who had diverted her attention from anyone else. But most importantly, her earliest memories contained snippets of the strange language of humans, sounds that she understood even without reading the energy and magic around the human speaking. The image of a near-dragon height man with far more fur than usual, pointing his worm-appendages at objects and repeating sounds over and over again…

And then there were memories of her skills in that developing, as she knew what to listen to and look out for… numerous words that she learnt and practised pronouncing in the night until she found out how to imitate it. memories he possessed now.

Xaphia flew up suddenly, filled with new vigour, leaving the female behind. It wasn't hard to find his human, as Dragonheart was, for once, shrouded completely in grey, a grey that penetrated the woods like a thick fog, and memories of the greyness left a trail through the forest.

"Xaphia…" he heard, and for once, he did not need to listen to the emotions and colours beneath that voice to understand that his name had been said. His chest feeling oddly bubbly, Xaphia opened his jaws, tasting the warm air that rolled off his tongue as he transformed his growls.

"Drrahgoharrt."

* * *

So, Sirius as Minister... good idea? bad? Do you prefer Lucius?  
And I've decided that Charlie/Xaphia will come back every chap now, as they're so popular :)

Also, people who follow me on tumblr: I changed my acc name to HikariMeropeRiddle.

Read and review!  
xx GeMerope


	39. Part II Chapter XIV

So, finally have internet ^^ And during my holiday I wrote quite a load :) So expect some very quick updates the coming weeks!  
I hope you enjoy the chapter,

* * *

"Why must they be so bloody difficult," Hermione muttered angrily. "Can't they see that I'm trying to** help** them?"

"Don't tell me you weren't warned," Rita commented, and Hermione spun around, startled, seeing the woman slouched over the couch, the tip of a quill resting on her tongue, the muscle licking and curling around the pointy end. Hermione's eye twitched at the sight, and she folded her arms across her chest.

"One, you warned me for something else, two, didn't I tell you to **stay in your bloody bug form** at Hogwarts?"

"Bug form is useful, but I much prefer to have two legs and two arms instead of six tiny legs… They're hard to pin someone down with," Rita commented nonchalantly. Hermione nearly choked on her own saliva, cheeks flaming red.

"Unnecessary information! Keep your sex life private, yes? Thank Merlin you haven't actually brought guys with you yet…" she trailed off, muttering before she spun around. Taking her bag, which she had magically enlarged, she zipped it open and started rummaging around in it, pulling several thick tomes out of the bag which she needed for her rune homework. The girl knew that it would probably be wiser to reply to the Goblins immediately but she really didn't feel in the mood…

During her second weeks of the Christmas holidays, she'd actually met up with some goblins in Gringotts, after a Death Eater had unexpectedly shown up at her door step to inform her about them… She was glad for it, because not only had it gained her information, it also confirmed to her that the Dark Lord actually did stand behind these ideals and took her serious. It seemed that the Goblins, however, did not. Rita's warning about them not wanting to take this opportunity had been unnecessary, it seemed, and the Goblins were actually far more complex and cultivated than the bigoted woman had insinuated. The Goblins themselves however, were also bigoted, and one thing that infuriated Hermione was their blatant disrespect for anyone non-Goblin, women especially.

Her blood began to boil again when thinking of the letter she had received, in which they clearly stated that she was wasting her time and ideals and that they were 'fairly certain that an underage witch without connections could not hope to achieve such a thing.' One thing she didn't understand was the 'no connections' nonsense… She knew the Dark Lord personally, in Merlin's name!

"What should I do?" she muttered. "I can't even go to Gringotts anymore until Easter break… I could send you in my stead of course, but they won't take you seriously either."

"Just admit that your silly dream won't work…" Rita grumbled, stretching. Hermione glared at her.

"I wonder how you got this far in your profession with that attitude," she sneered. "Is this what is left of the famous Rita Skeeter who never let anything go once she had her teeth in only a fraction of it? Where has your sense gone anyways? You want Dumbledore… The Dark Lord won't give you anything to work with until we finish this, and this is nowhere near finished… We can spread rumours all we like, but if the Goblins themselves don't think it holds any merit, we're doomed to fail."

Rita threw her a withering look. "I don't think you understand. The Dark Lord practically promised us the information. That means that he profits from it if we have it, he merely thinks it is convenient that you also do this for him. Do you really think he has the time to concentrate on discrediting Dumbledore? No, once time will run short he'll give it to us, no matter whether you have finished this or not."

"And who's to say he won't let anyone else do it then? As far as I know, Lovegood is pretty much 'the' source of information nowadays with his Quibbler, and we are certainly not the only reporters who want to publish in his magazine. In fact, he writes most of the articles himself. Why shouldn't the Dark Lord give all the dirt on Dumbledore to him? He's not as much of an incompetent fool anymore since he gets his information directly from Death Eaters and their reports. He's credible… You, while once popular, have been discredited ever since your disappearance, during which others criticised your earlier articles. And as the Goblins pointed out, I am not much yet either. My conclusion is: we have to prove our worth before we have a chance at anything else."

"Your insight can be so **bloody** annoying, did you know that?"

"So I've been told," Hermione said, smiling ruefully. "I've never exactly been popular, and the only reason my life wasn't a living hell at Hogwarts was because of Harry, and later Ron too. But anyways… what's the plan?"

Rita stretched her back and finally sat upright, her face becoming business-like. Hermione grinned, knowing she'd won. "First, get more contacts and make them more concrete. Build up a network, both inside and out Gringotts. It shouldn't even take long; you already have quite powerful ones, but they're too much in the background. Try to get that guy to speak up for you who informed us about Goblin culture in the first place. You're right, they will never want to speak to me, but I can scout for people who would be willing to represent you and the Dark. One won't be enough, but perhaps there are more Death Eaters. We've actually already gotten quite far, the people are aware of what you're doing... now we just need an article with a Goblin stating they want the same and are willing to trust the Dark to give it to them."

"So… broaden network, seek representatives the Goblins will believe, and interview one or two of them? Seems easy enough… Perhaps professor Atiyeh will know some people as well… he works in the Ministry and for the Dark after all." She suddenly caught Rita's intense stare. "What?" The woman rose and approached her, Hermione taking a hesitant step back as red nails pushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Rita?"

"You're quite pretty when your eyes are shining with fire like that…" Rita muttered, throwing Hermione off.

"Wait what?" she asked, her voice a pitch higher than usual. Before the other could answer however, there was a noise of laughter and footsteps running up the stairs. Before Hermione could do anything else, the door flung open and Lavender and Parvati stormed in, giggling.

"Hi Hermione!" they laughed, letting themselves fall down on their beds. "Oh my GOSH you won't believe what just happened. Cormac, you know, Cormac McLaggen? He tried to flirt with me and suddenly he turned 'round a corner only to scream like Myrtle when he walked into the Bloody Baron! But say, what are you standing there for like... EW! You have a large beetle in your hair!" Lavender said in disgust, and Hermione, shaken out of her stupor by the words, brushed Rita off and pretended to swat it.

"Thanks Lavender, I hadn't noticed…"

"Merlin forbids it would have clambered inside of your robes!" the other girl said, her face scrunching up. Hermione nearly choked at that, even more so when her vivid mind was so** kind** as to give her an image of Rita, slowly sliding her hands…

Feeling her face heat up, she nearly sprinted to the bathroom. "Going to flush this down the toilet," she squeaked.

"Next time don't leave the window open!" Parvati yelled after her. "You can never know what will get its paws on you…"

* * *

I am… extremely pleased to be here." He spoke up, looking at the rows and rows of people and the flashing cameras, his eyes constantly straying to a seemingly innocent, empty spot near the back of the conference room. Merlin, did this place cause a swarm of memories to return to him… As while it was a conference room now, he remembered a time when all and every room in the Ministry had been an emergency trial room. It was times like these that he was glad he hadn't had a trial. They had been little more than a formality with the people tried guilty with only the slightest hint of evidence… and there had been plenty of evidence pointing the wand of justice at him after the whole ordeal with the murder on not only Lily and James, but Peter as well.

But now… now it didn't matter anymore. Mere weeks ago, he had escorted a bound Pettigrew to the Ministry, and with that and Peter's confession under Veritaserum, his name had been cleared completely. Of course, there had been no Minister to grant him official clearance, so the Wizengamot and the former Minister's undersecretary had done so. To his unpleasant surprise, said undersecretary was none other than Percy Weasley, who had left all of his family behind and broken all ties.

Sirius still didn't know what to think of it, even now he knew how bad of an influence Dumbledore had been to everyone. Perhaps his dislike for the boy was only based on how alike his situation was with what Sirius' own had been, and yet so different. Both had broken family ties to chase other ideals, but while his own family had been cold and harsh, the Weasley family was anything but, and he knew how much Arthur and Molly had suffered from Percy's actions. Whereas his own parents… well, the tapestry with his burned-out name said enough.

He stood a bit straighter as the chattering died down, people discussing the speech of the one who had spoken before him, Rufus Scrimgeour. "I suppose most of you have been updated on my situation… From teacher's menace to Auror, prisoner, runaway, and now the free man you see before you. I do not hold anyone responsible for the false accusations that have been uttered against me for years, nor do I hold a grudge. Rather, I want to make sure it doesn't happen to anyone else… And that will be the first point I want to highlight if you are to vote for me. No matter the situation, no matter the chaos… no innocent man should be falsely tried just because there was no manpower for a proper investigation. Rather than do anything behind closed doors, susceptible to corruption and influenced by bribes I want the truth to prevail in all times. Openness, action, honesty… those are the values of my campaign, and those will become the Ministry's values if I were to become Minister. As the current head of the Auror Office already said, we do not need another lax Minister, we need one who will fight with and for his people. I have fought for freedom, more than any of you can ever imagine, and I am willing to fight again to spare others the horrors I experienced. Thank you."

He nodded his head as a wild applause broke loose, but there were no tears in his eyes o emotion as he was fully accepted back into society, as a war-hero this time. No, the sounds seemed to leave no place for feelings, and he waited until they were done, unmoving.

"Mr Black," the first reporter asked. "In these turbulent times, what side will you choose? You originally come from a Dark family, but have never supported the Dark before. Has that changed as the Dark Lord's ideals changed?"

"I will not let myself be influenced by any powerful figures, no matter what title they bestow upon themselves. I have my own goals, and sometimes they might align with those of the Dark Lord, and sometimes with other influential people. I refuse, however, to pick a side and say I am Light or Dark. I did before, casting everything Dark aside and fully embracing the Light, but now I merely choose my own side, trusting my own judgement of what is right and wrong. I may take advice and change my views if anyone can thoroughly convince me of that I was wrong in something before, but I will not be a puppet and submit to the whims of any Lord… Neither Dark nor Light."

Something shifted in the spot he'd stared at before, as if the air rippled a bit. He stiffened, fully aware of that he was greatly altering his speech. The Dark Lord would be furious in that he was so open with saying he wasn't going to let Dumbledore rule him either, but he would stick to what he said. Truth would prevail after ages of corruption. He would **not** play games anymore… Not with Voldemort, not with Dumbledore. While he had the Dark's support, he wasn't planning on changing any laws Voldemort wanted without being convinced of that the changes would be beneficial to the public. He refused to be nothing more than a body without a brain, doing everything he was ordered to.

And Voldemort should know that… It was, after all, the condition on which he had accepted to mingle himself in the politics he'd so avoided before. It had taken a few days to be convinced, but in the end, Harry had won him over, and now, two weeks later, he was here, at the first stage of the elections. It had gone even faster than Voldemort had anticipated, and for Sirius, the past two weeks had passed in a blur, clearing his name, reading himself up on politics, re-establishing his rusty connections, writing speeches and election programs. The mass of publicity that had been thrown on him, only slightly held back by his unknown location, had thoroughly exhausted him and had flooded the minds of the public with images and speculations about the enigma known as Sirius Black.

Victim, martyr… those were the main two words connected with him nowadays. Victim of the system, closer to the people than anyone, someone who knew first-hand how bad the situation was in the Ministry, and what had to be done. An ex-Auror, famous for his earlier work, feared and loved by many… He really hadn't had a clue how important he had been until now. He'd always done his job properly and spent his free time fooling around, careless about the future, until he'd been forced to really grow up, fourteen years and a couple of months ago. But now… now, the newspapers, both the Prophet and the Quibbler, and even magazines such as Witch Weekly were suddenly filled with heroic stories about him and speculations on how anyone could have ever believed him to have strayed after that history.

"What do you think upon the topic of Muggles?" someone asked, a question he had anticipated, and he flushed all the cautious answers down the drain that Voldemort had pressed him to say.

"They're people," he simply said. "People who should not be denied of the treasures we have and can share with them."

"You'd want to come out of hiding then?" someone else shouted.

"The Statute of Secrecy has never done anyone any good, except the higher ups who own so many land and have so much money and influence that they needn't worry about Muggles catching them using magic. Secrecy is a safe-guard, but is it a necessary one? Muggles dying on the streets of diseases we could cure with a flick of our hands, technology they have that we can only dream of, but cannot use because our magic reacts badly on it… Creatures who have to hide with us because Muggles might try to hunt them for valuable resources, only because we don't openly protect them and deny them the rights to protect themselves… Our system is currently an unfair one. A family with enough money can afford wards and practise magic whenever they want, poor families have to either hide behind their curtains or not practise magic at all, or live in such a faraway, rural area, that there are no Muggles near. I believe that this is one of the things the Dark Lord and I firmly agree in, if that was your actual question."

The reporter had the decency to blush at least, but wasn't done talking. "What are areas you don't agree in?"

"I don't agree in that Purebloods should have a priority in governmental positions. True, they have been taught politics from an early age, but that is not to say that Muggleborns and Halfbloods can't be just as good."

"You are a Pureblood yourself, however…"

"And yet, I'm one of those who believe blood, power and intelligence have absolutely nothing to do with each other. When still an Auror, I had someone on my team, Evers... Will Evers. He was a Muggleborn, and an almighty powerful wizard. I've lost many a duel to him and when it came to connecting clues to find a lost trail, he was your man… However, when someone had to be fired, he was the first one to be made redundant, purely based on the fact that he had Muggle parents… Such practises won't be tolerated anymore. Everyone is worth as much as they can prove through intelligence, usefulness and magical strength, not by their heritage. I too do not think I can lead the Wizarding World because I come from the Black family, but because I believe that my ideas are good and I have experience with the Ministry. Now, I believe I went far over time…" he jokingly said. "I would like to give the word to yet another Auror, Kingsley Shacklebolt."

The other man nodded at him and walked up the steps. However, when Sirius wanted to move away, a large hand held him there, and Kingsley's eyes pierced his. "Actually, Sirius," the dark, pleasant voice spoke. "I do believe that my vote goes out to you."

Sirius blinked, stunned as Kingsley sauntered back again to the spot he'd come from, and Sirius saw a few Order members who had taken place in a corner, looking shocked. The room had burst out in excited whispers at this unusual turn of events, and the people wouldn't be silenced even by Percy's desperate shouts for order. Kingsley's retreat had quite obviously not been a decision of Dumbledore, or even spoken about with the rest of the Order, judging the reactions. Well then… it was far too late for Dumbledore to put another candidate forward, unless someone else in the Order would step forward within the next ten minutes. It seemed that they all respected Kingsley too much however, and no-one moved a muscle. Dumbledore, who was surprisingly absent today, had been beaten by one of his own men for reasons unknown.

Sirius turned around, a genuine smile on his face. "Well then," he cheerfully said. "Thanks Kingsley, I must say that I think you voted right." The public laughed at that. "Now, refreshments! I DO hope that they didn't hire other house-elves since I got thrown in that forsaken prison. Thoughts of tasting the chocolate cake here have been the sole thing that kept me sane there!"

He nearly ran off the platform, trying to avoid more reporters and questions, instead seeking out Scrimgeour and Pius Thicknesse, to wish the men best of luck in the elections. Without Kingsley, there were only these two left as rivals, and Sirius knew that Thicknesse was one of Voldemort's puppets, because it would be suspicious if he didn't try to push anyone in the elections. That left Scrimgeour as the only real threat. Or not that much of a **threat** per se… While Sirius wanted to win this, of course, he thought that the head of Aurors would also make a fine Minister, certainly a lot better than Fudge had been. The only thing that irked him about the man was that he was so conservative, and the opposite of open towards new ideas, preferring to stick to the book.

He approached the man, who gave him a sour smile as they shook hands. "A pretty good display back there, Black. You've got them all eating out of your hand…"

"I'm just trying to do what is right," Sirius replied, a tad baffled.

"And so am I. However, your truth campaign won't be worth much if they discover the real truth…" the man hissed as he pulled Sirius close. Sirius froze at the words.

"I don't know what you-"

"Your 'I follow no Lord' was a tad too transparent... The public may not know it, but the Auror office has dug some information up about you ever since you cleared your name… And it seems you were Dumbledore's man all along hmm? A bit suspicious too for the other one who follows Dumbledore to suddenly step back and clear his way for you…"

Sirius really wanted to laugh out loud now, having expected anything but this. He quickly threw up a silencing barrier around the two of them, having no need for everyone to overhear this conversation. "You misunderstood something then… Dumbledore hasn't had a clue as to where I've been the past weeks, and I am quite done with him. He kept me holed up in some godforsaken place as if I was in prison yet again, for more than half a year 'for my protection'. What I just told everyone there was nothing but the truth. I don't know why Kingsley pulled back, but from what I've seen, the rest of the Order was unaware of that he would, and I **very** much doubt it was Dumbledore who ordered him to. I really do want this world to become a slightly better place for all of us, and I will do anything in my power to see it happen. Now, good day, and much luck with your campaign," he greeted, breaking the silencing barrier again, leaving a baffled Scrimgeour behind.

Now talk of Dumbledore had come up though, he wondered yet again why the man wasn't here. By all means he should have been, especially with his rank in the Ministry…

"Sirius!"

_Speak of the devil…_

He turned around slowly, seeing the old man enter through the open doors, face seemingly delighted at seeing him, but there were a few harsh lines around Dumbledore's eyes and his movements were jerky as he approached Sirius. For all he was worth, he put up a pleasant smile. "Albus, surprising to see you here… so late."

"I hadn't thought I'd needed to attend this event! You know such formalities are nothing for me… It was only when word reached me of such an unexpected candidate… I knew you were back and had cleared your name, but to run for** Minister**?"

"We all have to take responsibilities sometime…" Sirius gravely said, obviously surprising the man. "And for me, that time came several weeks ago. Come, let's go to a less… noisy place to talk."

Dumbledore relaxed slightly at Sirius' less-than hostile, even friendly approach, and despite his words to the public and Scrimgeour, words he really did plan on honouring, it wasn't wise to tread on Dumbledore's long crooked toes if it wasn't absolutely necessary. They went out of the room towards one of the distant, empty corridors, and Sirius hoped that Harry wouldn't follow them. Even under his invisibility cloak, Dumbledore would be able to sense his godson, but he wasn't sure if Harry was aware of that. As it were, the man didn't seem suspicious of anything or casting lingering looks at unsuspicious places, so all might be well…

"You have quite some explaining to do, my boy… You worried all of us when you so suddenly disappeared."

"I never meant to cause you trouble… I just… I** needed** to be out of that place Albus, and I know that you would never have let me do such a reckless act. I know that so many things could have gone wrong with my plan, but I know that I trust my own abilities a lot more than you did. I want Harry back… but I couldn't do anything when labelled a criminal. And thus, I disappeared, pulled the sake trick as Peter had and faked my own death, as it were… Death Eaters even found my 'corpse', not sure if you are aware of that… They might have hushed it up. In either case, they seemed to think that I was dead, and that left me an opportunity to go by unnoticed as they weren't checking for a large black dog anymore… Malfoy's son blabbed about my Animagus form… Anyways, I was able to snatch Pettigrew, and when I was a free man again I… I didn't exactly feel the pressing need to return to the Order… even now my parent's house isn't used anymore, I don't like being holed up. Having had a taste of freedom at last and able to decide my own fate, I wanted to** be** someone and to have my own say in how I think the future should look."

"I understand, Sirius… I really do," the man said, raising a withered had to stop the flow of words. "I must admit that I am very curious though… I have not yet been updated by what transpired in that room or what anyone said. Do you really think you can hold your own against Kingsley and Scrimgeour? Thankfully Voldemort seems to have chosen a less-than worthy specimen…"

"Only Scrimgeour then," Sirius said, inwardly pleased as he saw confusion swirl in those blue eyes... eyes that seemed to look deeper suddenly, hypnotising, he couldn't look away… what had he been thinking before? Why had he been so pleased? Why-

Abruptly, he yanked his head away, trembling as he stared at the white marble of the wall. "Don't do that. Don't you** dare** do that," he said, voice straining with suppressed rage. "If you wanted answers, you could have** asked** Albus. What the hell did you see?"

"Nothing… I should have known that with your training, even Azkaban wouldn't have been able to diminish the control you have over your mind. I… apologise. I merely thought it would be better to see it than to give you the trouble for having to spell everything out for me. What was that about only Scrimgeour?"

Sirius released a shaky breath, hardly able to believe what Dumbledore had nearly pulled off. If he hadn't had such good defences… But the old man could also have been lying when saying he'd seen nothing at all… If he** had** seen… undesirable things, he surely wouldn't tell Sirius. But whatever the case may be, it would not be beneficial for him to suddenly stop talking to Dumbledore now. "Kingsley withdrew, saying he'd vote for me."

"What?" Dumbledore said, both shocked and angry, before he calmed down. "On the other hand… yes, maybe that was sensible… Now the Order has only one candidate, not two. Or I say the Order… of course, you put yourself forwards, but your ideals have always run in one straight line with the Order, hmm?"

"And I'll do my best to make sure the new Ministry will be thoroughly cleansed, based on** my** ideals," Sirius smiled, a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. He wasn't about to play a game of manipulation, he had no desire to do so, but if Dumbledore thought his ideals were the same as the man's, he wouldn't break the news to the headmaster that would shatter those illusions. "Now, if you don't mind… I wanted to have a word with a couple of people I know from back in the good old days. I'm surprised by how many survived till now… they must have been holding back resources since Fudge... vanished."

Dumbledore nodded and sauntered off after expressing a 'good luck', and Sirius held back his breath of relief until the other had disappeared around a corner. He hurried back to the conference room himself, and made small talk with useful contacts, straining to remember all of his lessons in politics from when he was young, all the etiquette he'd thrown overboard when he'd turned his back on his family. It was almost laughable how easy this would be if Dumbledore kept believing that he could influence Sirius… the Order would be voting for him, the Dark would be, and hopefully many Neutral people, or at least people not loyal to either Dumbledore or Voldemort would also like his goals and methods and prefer them over his rival's.

The questions that remained however, were how long it would take for Dumbledore to find out what his speech had been and to realise he had spoken the complete truth there about not being willing to be influenced by anyone, and how angry Voldemort would be with him for altering his speech so much. It was as if he'd raised two big fat middle fingers to both the Dark and the Order at the same time…

* * *

"You're not going to be happy…' Harry tentatively spoke, removing his cloak and brushing the ashes off of it. He quickly waved his wand and removed the soot from the oaken floor so the house-elves wouldn't have to come running for it.

"Of course I won't, it's Black we're talking about. Also, no need to inform me, Lucius already sent me a memory of the happening. I've just finished watching it."

"You don't seem as angry as I thought you would be."

Marvolo sighed, turning his chair to face his fiancé with a calculating look. "I've come to accept Black as he is over the past weeks. Incredibly stubborn and far too honest and rash. I honestly had not expected him to stick to the speech I had approved of. That it was expected doesn't mean I like his wording though. For one, he clearly tells both Dumbledore and me that if he is to become Minister, he'll listen to ideas as advice, but won't let himself be forced to make decisions he doesn't like, and secondly, his clear opinion on matters of blood will cause doubt to rise within my ranks. He makes me face a difficult choice… Will I continue to support him and command my circles to vote 'Black', knowing that while his ideas resemble mine in most things but giving away much of my power, or should I switch to Thicknesse and hope it will be enough? I have come to regret the decision to let Black run for Minister, truly."

"And I am still of the opinion that we need someone like him. You're too fixed upon the whole 'High Minister' idea with puppets for Ministers… Once we get into the Muggle government as well, Minister of Magic will only be one of the sub-categories, and you can't keep watch and control everyone and everything. We need someone like Sirius, who can think for himself. That will also make us more plausible in the eyes of the current Muggle government…"

"What would make us plausible in their eyes would be if we all agreed on the same things," Marvolo grumbled, but Harry could feel that the core of his words had penetrated Marvolo's stubborn mind. "We have but one chance in this war Harry… But I have no time to dwindle upon the topic of Black any longer… we need to ready ourselves for war."

"What? What are you talking about? We've been faring war for months."

"In England, yes… But what I have been waiting for a long time finally arrived. It seems they were awaiting word of the elections to see if there were possibilities there." Before Harry had the chance to ask who 'they' were, Marvolo threw a very official-looking scroll on the desk and rolled it open. "France. Spain. Italy. Greece. Germany. Austria. Belgium. All of them have declared war upon us at the same time."

Harry's eyes bugged as he saw the list with countries, names and signatures. "You say you expected this?"

"Naturally, and I am afraid that it won't only be Europe once it becomes clear that those countries won't be able to stop us. Had you expected differently then? If we are to bring magic out into the open, every single country will be affected, for news travels over the world in seconds for Muggles… If it becomes clear that magic is real here, in Britain, Muggles in other countries will surely be stirred as well, forcing magicians there to come out of hiding as well, and in some countries they are… not very happy with that prospect. France is automatically against everything that happens in England and Beauxbatons lies there, of which the Headmistress has good ties with Dumbledore, Italy, Spain and Greece are conservative countries as well where the Statute of Secrecy has been implemented under even stricter rules than here, Germany and Austria are afraid of another Grindelwald… I'm not sure of Belgium's reasons yet."

Harry took the parchment, letting his eyes rake over the words.

_Hereby we, alliance of magical nations, declare that the acts of the Dark Lord can be ignored no longer. We are thus forced to break the treaty of Paris, which ensured that no country should influence each other's magical development. In the light of recent events, it has become clear that the actions by Dark Lord Voldemort and his future visions shall negatively affect the future of all Wizarding kind, not merely the British population. Whilst not the whole of Britain stands behind these visions, the most likely candidate for the next British Minister of Magic does, forcing us to take action.  
War shall follow if there will be no surrender._

"I thought Dolohov and Mulciber kept contacts in the mainland? They weren't able to prevent this?"

"They can only do so much… trying to change the fundamentals of people's beliefs of what is right and wrong to do isn't one of those. Besides, they've mostly been working on the good contacts we already have…"_  
_

Harry sighed deeply. He really should have expected this… He just hadn't realised just how much Marvolo's goals would influence the rest of the world. Surely, if it were clear that wizards existed in one country, Muggles would start wondering about their own countries… "Any countries who DO agree with you?"

"We have Scandinavia as ally… Iceland as well. Portugal, just because they want to irk the Spanish, Switzerland, which has finally been forced to relinquish Neutral position, also indicated that it might be time to come out of hiding, Ireland, thankfully, which is a great surprise to me actually, but it seems their roots called them, and they too remember a time when magicians and Muggles peacefully coexisted. Then there's Russia and the East-European countries… Nearly everyone there has been educated at Durmstrang, which has always taught the darker aspects of magic and the superiority of magic. However, the countries that aren't against us will lose nothing if things stay the way they are for now, so we cannot expect them to fight alongside us… They merely won't interfere."

Harry groaned, taking a chair and slumping down on it. "Is there really no country that fully agrees with your views and also wants to fight with us?"

"Ireland** might**, if they agreed for the reasons I suspect, and we can expect help from ex-Durmstrang students but that is all. There might be minorities in other countries willing to fight for us who shall profit. Creatures and the like."

"And what were you just saying about other countries than those in Europe?"

"Most African countries and Asian countries will be delighted to free magic from its confinements. America and Australia, apart from the native inhabitants… not so much. We might have more support in South-America than the United States and Canada, but nothing is certain. I imagine they'll first wait and see whether Europe can handle its own problems though."

"So… the plan?"

"Keep things normal in Britain and continue with our campaigns, interrupted by heavy battles over the border. We need to go offensive, the sea isn't much of a barrier when enemies can apparate and Portkey over, unlike with Muggle warfare. Thankfully they can't ambush us as we have the same means, so, as with all magical battles, time and place will have to be indicated by all sides before the battle actually starts. Our raids within the country were different, as we knew exactly where to find our enemies on a time they were there and didn't move, but such knowledge isn't available for those who want to fight us now, except for if they'd want to raid the Ministry, which would be a bad move to them since our Ministry is still Neutral… mostly"

"I am surprised now that this didn't happen sooner."

"They had to get a good view of the situation, speak to other countries, see where those stood, assemble, break a treaty and decide upon the best course of action. By the time they were ready, Fudge had already died, and they wanted to see the candidates for Britain's new minister. Apparently they too think Black is the most likely choice… When looking at past mainland politics though, I'm actually surprised that it hasn't taken longer… This does come at a rather… annoying time though. I will have to try to stall fights abroad as much as possible. They'll have to be few and far between, as with every witch or wizard who dies there, Black will lose a vote, and that may sound crude, but it's the truth. If Dumbledore realises he won't have much of a say over Black and command his Order to vote for Scrimgeour, elections won't look as favourable."

"Sirius will have to be extremely careful with whom to interact now, won't he?"

"Indeed… the Dark won't need convincing if I tell them to vote for him, but he will have to keep Dumbledore on a false trail for a while, and make sure he isn't seen within the presence of me or Death Eaters so neutral people won't think he's playing them."

"But he isn't…"

"That isn't what it'll look like if he is caught dining with us, Harry."

"Does this mean that I won't be able to see him as long as the elections run…? The boy asked, sorrow filling his eyes. Marvolo opened his arms and encased the teen who accepted the invitation.

"I'm sorry love… but no, you won't."

Harry nodded, pondering over the unfairness of it all. He had just gotten his Godfather back, really, had just been able to convince Sirius and now, after a couple of weeks, this. But he should have expected it… Even the past weeks, Sirius had often been elsewhere, only returning once convinced that he'd gotten rid of the press. He sighed deeply and untangled himself from Marvolo's arms, smiling sadly.

"I'll go train with Rodolphus and Shay," he muttered. "Need to be in shape when we're going abroad."

"With any luck, I can stall it some more weeks."

"And if not?"

"You'd best make sure to be ready in a day or three."

* * *

Read and Review!  
xx GeMerope

And as said before, next update will be very soon...


	40. Part II Chapter XV

quick update for you all ^^ and several more quick updates to come because I wrote ahead :P they still need editing though so you'll see them soon!  
I also had the time to go back, read and edit everything of Part II I've written now so once that is finished, I'll do the same as with part I and re-upload everything.

Enjoy

* * *

He was shaken awake by a rough snout, and rolled away to press his face in the moss, not in the mood to get up yet. Last night had been another exhausting one, trying to control a frustrated Xaphia during his speaking-lessons.

"Drraguharth!" the dragon rumbled, and Charlie rolled his eyes behind closed eyelids. "Upff!"

"I'll get up, I'll get up," he muttered. It was brilliant that the dragon had learnt how to speak… most of the time. Not so much when he preferred sleeping a couple more hours. He didn't even bother to point out the 'f' sound at the end of Xaphia's word, even though he'd been finally able to teach the dragon how to say words ending with a 'p' without it mere days ago. It was more frustrating to teach him to properly speak than he'd originally thought, but he always reminded himself to keep in mind that the vocal chords, tongue and mouth were** very** different than those of a human. But that Xaphia wanted nothing less than perfection himself didn't help much…

"What is it?"

"Wharr ish comin," the dragon spoke darkly. "Shmell of i.. ith?"

"It."

"I**t,**" Xaphia thoughtfully repeated, rolling his tongue. "Shmell of i**t**, floathinon airrr. Lande beyond!"

Charlie stiffened as the dragon pointed to the sea with his tail, in the direction of the mainland. He cursed, suddenly trying to remember how many days had passed since he'd discovered Xaphia could talk, how many** weeks** perhaps. He had been so caught up in his own little world… He cursed profoundly, angry at himself. He had completely lost all sense of time… the last time he'd gone out with a small dragon to snatch a prophet in a nearby town seemed ages ago.

"We must go at once… I can't** believe** that I just sat here, doing nothing!" he exclaimed, distressed. I need news, I need to know who is doing what and where…"

Xaphia huffed and suddenly let out a mighty roar. An arrowhead shot out of the bushed, dropping several papers on Charlie's head. He winced and picked them up from the ground, blinking when seeing a stack of prophets and… Quibblers?

"Why was I not given these before?" he demanded to know.

"Bizzzy." The black dragon answered, shrugging slightly, obviously not seeing what the big deal was. Charlie pinched his nose but rather than reprimanding Xaphia, he sat down and started to read, flipping through unimportant articles to gain some amount of truth. When done with the prophets, he still didn't know much, but he froze when humouring himself and flipping over one of Lovegood's pulp magazines. 'The word of the Dark Lord,' 'The real elections,' 'Black's name cleared,' were one of the few headlines that immediately sprung into view. Deciding to skip everything and move onto the most recent edition, his heart skipped a turn.

_Quibbler: 23 Januari_

_**World-wide war?**_

_The day many of us feared has arrived: after the first election speeches on the 18__th__, the countries from the mainland decided they could no longer ignore the visions of the Dark Lord as they are about to turn from dream to reality. Last Monday the Dark Lord received an official Declaration of War. Who will support us and who will be against us? What countries are really for freedom? The Dark Lord revealed not all opposing countries, but what he did say was that the first battle has been planned for next Saturday in France, on the plains near Beauxbatons. –which, as readers subscribed to this magazine for years, know as not a school but rather an experiment of the French government where armies of Veela are bred and trained, hence the irresistible glamours that surround each and every student there.-_

Charlie frowned, highly doubting the claims about Beauxbatons. It seemed that, though Lovegood spread the Dark's word now, he hadn't completely foregone his conspiracy theories. He skipped the next few lines which ranted on about horrible experiments and skimmed the rest of the paragraph. There was nothing of importance in it further, other than the worry of Lovegood about the war costing lives… and votes?

Frowning, he took several Quibblers from before that date, and nearly choked when seeing Sirius' face under the headline 'Minister candidates.' For a moment, he thought it was yet again one of Lovegood's bizarre stories, but when reading it, the wording of it all sounded suspiciously… Sirius. However, he wondered where the dragons had gotten these. From the article he could make out that Lovegood didn't think anyone unsubscribed could get their hands or paws on an edition of this.

"How did you get these?" he asked Xaphia, who had been walking around restlessly.

"Was conceallled, drraghon eyes reveallled." Xaphia mysteriously said, approaching him, sliding his head over Charlie's cheeks, coming to rest on his shoulder. The man reached up to stroke the side of it, smiling when Xaphia shuddered in obvious pleasure.

"We shall head to France," Charlie suddenly decided. "In three days time. It's time to reveal ourselves now."

"Frransh?" the dragon asked, head slightly cocked.

"It's a country. Probably the land you pointed at." The other didn't answer, merely pushing him further until he fell over. "What are you… Ah!" his breath caught as a long, sleek tongue slithered over his belly, hitching up his shirt. "Xaphia!" he exclaimed, still slightly uncomfortable with the dragon's boldness. While he had come to regard the dragon more as a… as a** person** in the past weeks, it was still hard for him to acknowledge his own feelings, while the other didn't seem to have that problem at** all**. And still, there was so much else to consider… Inter-special marriages were not unheard of, but that was the case with vampires and human, or Veela and humans… at least a human and something else that was human-like…

He squirmed beneath Xaphia's ministrations, giving up as the dragon growled loudly, a warning growl that he'd learned to recognise as a 'stay still'. He didn't like admitting it, but at times like these, he often feared the dragon, who could crush him easily, rip out his throat with only a slight movement of teeth if he wouldn't do as desired…

Xaphia suddenly pulled away, gazing at him with an intensity that made his skin crawl even more. "You… afraid?" Charlie swallowed dryly, wanting to deny it but unable to as he noticed his heart beating in his chest with fear instead of desire, nails digging into the soil and moss.

"Yes," he whispered, shivering lightly when the other moved and raised a paw.

But the claws that shimmered in the light of the sun did not puncture his skin, instead clicking lightly against each other as, with the softest of movements, they came to rest against his cheek. He nuzzled his face in it, smelling moss and fire, and the slightest hint of salt as his own tears were smeared over it.

"I underrstande." The dragon softly rumbled, lying next to him, wings spreading so one of them covering Charlie like a blanket, or rather a giant umbrella, the skin translucent against the sun, the veins through which the hot, hot blood coursed clearly visible. Charlie curled up to Xaphia's side, muttering apologies until the other bent his neck to drape his head around Charlie's. It was an odd feeling, his head against the dragon's shoulder blade and Xaphia's head on the other side of his, so large that the snout rested against his lower arm, the neck supporting his own head like a pillow.

"I know you wouldn't hurt me," he mumbled, a sense of calm finally settling over him.

"I prrromisshe." Xaphia lisped.

* * *

He looked round the table, his fingertips pressed together as he peered over them. Weary faces met his, and he knew that the last defeat was still fresh on everyone's mind.

"This is a good thing," he reassured them yet again. They didn't seem very convinced.

"Albus, we have barely recovered… a third of the Order was slaughtered last time… to go into battle again? We had hoped to gain more followers since then, but our numbers stay low. Nearly everyone who wanted to join the Order already did so, and those who were still hesitating decided not to after we pathetically lost the last fight," Minerva spoke up. "I understand that, if we are to fight with the foreign armies we will be just a part of a larger army, but is it really necessary to do so? Is it not better to skip a fight…?"

"No," Dumbledore spoke, forceful enough to make a few members look up in surprise. "We cannot let him win, we cannot even give him a chance, or the idea that he's scared us off with that disgusting surprise raid. Good shall prevail in the end, I am convinced of that, but we have to fight for it. It is true that we have not had an increase in members as we'd hoped, but I imagine that will change soon if Sirius manages to become Minister. You were wise to pull back, Kingsley," he said, nodding to the large man.

"We haven't seen an awful lot of Black since, even weeks prior to his appearance at the Ministry," a man spoke, a newer member. "Are you sure he is still with the Order?"

"I don't doubt it," the headmaster spoke. "He has been with us since the first war and has never been anything but loyal to the Order. His disappearing without a word had good reasons and it's not up to you to doubt that. I trust him, and that should be enough for you."

The words were icier than he'd wanted them to sound, but they did their work: the man –Kyle?- shut up. In truth, there was slight doubt nagging him even as he spoke the words. Sirius had been very loyal to him, even after Azkaban… even after it was clear that Harry had left them… but wasn't he going a tad too far from the Order now? Ever since he'd gotten the Minister-business in his head, Sirius had not attended anymore meetings and had been mainly unavailable. Of course, Albus understood that the man must be busy with his campaign, but there was still that hint, that doubt that was itching against his skull, a doubt that had only increased since he had heard Sirius' speech about not wanting to be influenced… But even that he could understand, and his guiding words were not exactly a bad influence were they?

"We go and fight, no matter our numbers. And that's the last of it." Albus decided, shaking all thought of Sirius from his mind for now. He was driving himself crazy with this. "I'll send word out towards the Alliance to expect us to participate. We will need Portkeys to the exact area and a means to identify our allies."

"Simple, everyone not wearing a mask," Snape answered, sneering as always.

Albus didn't know what had possessed him to give the man another chance… he** knew** that the vow Severus had taken was to Harry and not to him, but he'd felt compelled to drag the man out of his dungeons after it became clear that, even after Harry had switched sides, Severus still hated the boy with a passion. It was disconcerting that the potion's master hadn't died yet, and was thus not doing anything to make life difficult for Harry, but that didn't mean that he was actively aiding him either. Perhaps the real reason for Dumbledore accepting him back though, was that the rest of the Order had become anxious about Snape's lack of participation in Order business the past months.

Albus' first thought when Harry revealed himself an ally of Voldemort was to put Snape out of the castle, but he had held back, not being one wanting to admit he'd been wrong in front of the Order. And now, it was that same pride that had led him to accept Snape back… Even if the man died as a result during the battle, it would at least save Albus from losing face by having to admit that Severus was on 'Voldemort's' side after all.

"Does that mean we get to shoot** you**?" someone said dryly, causing Snape to scowl.

"I won't be wearing a mask today," he answered, but Albus could detect a tremor in that usually cold, distant voice. No matter, this would be Severus' chance to reveal his loyalties… He hated Voldemort with a passion still, Albus knew, but what would he value more, his own life or the Light? Or would he pull one of his impossible stunts and manage to come out alive without betraying the Light?

* * *

The Twins grinned, sprinting from one side of the room to the other, adjusting the transparent bands over everyone's eyes who wasn't yet familiar with them, their invention finally perfected. Sadly, there was only a very limited number available still. Harry had had the honour of trying out the finished product already, and had trained with it a few times, having to admit the Twins' genius. They gave a perfect vision all around, and even widened the view a bit vertically as the material was a tad slanted. When Harry had asked whether they couldn't better have made a whole bubble around the wearer's head, they had shaken their head in disappointment however, explaining that it disoriented too much as it would distort the view too much because of the curves, giving the effect of a magic mirror... A Muggle magic mirror, that was.

Harry understood what they meant, having seen several of those before when Mrs Figgs hadn't been able to look after him while Dudley wanted to go to the fun fair and Vernon and Petunia had to go away and thus insisted that Dudley take him along. It hadn't been a very pleasant experience for Harry, and he'd have preferred to stay home rather than spend the day with all of his tormentors, but he hadn't had a choice, and came back black and blue. I hadn't even made the eyes of the Dursleys twitch. As he'd wanted to limp up the stairs, Vernon had shouted after him that he hadn't fixed them anything to eat yet…

A hand landed on his shoulder, and his thoughts were disturbed and vanished as he looked into worried, ruby eyes. "Don't let the past haunt you so much love," Marvolo muttered.

"I have to… part of my therapy, remember?" he answered, thinking back of the many, many drawings he'd made, mainly red and black. It had helped though, if only slightly. There had been no more nightmares and no more illnesses since the one right before the Christmas holidays. "But alright, I'll concentrate on the task at hand. Where is Shay?"

"Your lapdog won't come today. Magical battle, remember?"

"Shay is as good as ten witches!" Harry protested, ignoring the nickname Marvolo had given the woman. It seemed that, now he couldn't release his irritation on Sirius any longer –the man had rented a small cottage with the money from his vault, which was accessible to him again now he was no longer on the run,- he needed a new target. And Shay, who had quickly become good friends with Harry and often hung around him during training, now had to put up with Marvolo's jealousy. Harry gave an irritated grunt as his lover failed to reply, though in his mind he too knew that Shay wouldn't like to fight amongst magical people and that that also wasn't what she'd been hired for.

It was such an odd thought to him… whenever he reminded himself that she was being paid for being here, it threw him off a bit. He'd come to know her as a friend, but he supposed that she also had to make a living, and it was a lot better than having to deal with Eyolf and knowing that the man had even received gold for his horrid lessons.

"Are you ready?" Marvolo asked, reaching out his hand. Harry nodded and took the pale fingers in his own, caressing them with his thumb. Apart from the Inner Circle, most Death Eaters weren't here yet, and would arrive soon on the grounds of Headquarters. As not only the Inner and second circle would be here, but everyone who wanted to fight for them, even the meeting room wasn't large enough. Added to that the fact that not only humans would fight today, but everyone… Harry felt uneasy about revealing all their assets and numbers, but he knew that any less than what they had would not be enough. There was no use in keeping back a part of their army if it meant that more would die. He hoped that the many creatures that would fight with them would be able to surprise their enemies. As far as Marvolo had learnt, the armies they'd fight consisted only of magicians.

Sadly, the fight had been too short notice to get the Giants moving, and as they were very magic-resistant, it was incredibly hard to transport them by apparition. Portkeys might have worked if they had been willing to take those, but Harry could recall a tragic incident from History of Magic with a Giant not having liked the feeling –completely understandable of course, Harry himself hated Portkeys as well-, after which he trampled a village and slaughtered all inhabitants to make his discomfort clear.

Despite not having Giant armies though, Marvolo had been able to retrieve four Giants and transported them near to the battle site. However, it had taken an enormous amount of magic, and a linked apparition with more than six witches and wizards linking their magic to Marvolo to provide him with enough magic to do apparate the Giants over. That had been two days ago, and thankfully the man had recovered well enough. Harry had actually wanted him to do it before, but Marvolo had explained that that would mean that they'd have to supply the Giants with more food, food they didn't have readily available, and he didn't want them to go hunting or slaughtering each other either.

"You remember the formations and strategies behind them?" his fiancé asked him once more, and Harry nodded mutely before rattling off: "four groups, two in the middle, two on every side, one slightly behind. One giant with the front middle and right one, two giants in the back, the left group consisting of fast fighters such as werewolves, centaurs and other creatures. Dwarves at front because they didn't want to be underestimated, vampires up front right so they won't clash with the werewolves and turn on each other, magicians in middle front and back…" Harry trailed off, a bit uncertain, knowing he was forgetting a group on the right.

"Dementors love. Very far right, with Vampires separating them from our own people so they won't be affected. Thankfully Vampires are immune to them…"

"Will the Vampires not turn upon us if they smell blood though?" Harry asked tentatively, not liking the idea of fighting side to side with the pale creatures he'd seen visit Marvolo a few times before.

"If you walk in a field full of cows, do you immediately attack it with a knife to get the meat?" Marvolo asked, amused. "I don't understand why so many people fear Vampires. In a sense, they are far more humane than we are, not even needing to kill to sustain themselves, whereas we humans even breed our prey for the purpose of killing and eating it. Can you imagine us not needing to kill an animal to feed from it? Getting what we want of it without it hurting or even noticing much other than feeling a tad faint after, before they recover completely as if they were never attacked…"

"When you put it that way…" Harry said, still a bit uneasy, quickly switching to another subject. He knew Marvolo liked the Vampires and had friends among them, but that didn't make him like them any more. "Any other creatures?"

"Sadly there will be no water near so the mermaids are useless in this setting… Many dark families don't want to risk their house-elves dying, so unless I set my Mantichores loose, no. Before, I had some support amongst the Arachnids in the Forbidden Forest, but as Runespoors, Ashwinders and other serpents will fight with me –also left side, actually, if you forgot- they don't support me anymore. The Basilisk my diary-Horcrux released made them turn on me. If Dumbledore uses Hagrid to convince them to fight against us though, they will flee quickly when seeing the number of serpents I have summoned."

"Why don't you set the Mantichores loose? Keep them as backup…?"

Marvolo laughed at that. "They're not exactly domesticated love. Unlike Vampires, they would kill anyone in their path just to kill."

"It's really strange to have this happening so suddenly…"Harry muttered. "I always imagined that the 'Final Battle' would be on the Hogwarts grounds, between your forces and Dumbledore's… I had never thought of factors like the other countries… it seems silly now that I had not even considered that."

"No matter whether we'll win or lose today, this will certainly not be the last battle."

"What will happen if we lose?"

"You want to talk about this** now**?" Marvolo asked, incredulous.

"You didn't seem to have any time for talking in the past weeks," Harry said, half-accusing. It was true though. Marvolo had not been around much and Harry had often found himself sleeping alone again. He absolutely hated it, even more because he was helpless to do anything about it, as he knew he couldn't be selfish and pull Marvolo away from his work.

"I don't have time for it now either," the man answered, as pops of apparition suddenly filled the air, indicating the arrival of the rest of the Death Eaters. "But to satisfy your curiousity slightly: it will depend on how much of the army will remain, and on if I will survive. If I don't, I want you to halt everything and resurrect me before some fool decides he can take over my position."

"There's a slight problem…" Harry said, fear gripping his heart.

"What is it?"

"The only one who knew how to resurrect you was Wormtail… and he's gone."

"In Azkaban, not gone, and don't forget the Dementors are on my side. It'll be easy for you to talk to him, especially if Sirius wins the elections."

"I hope Dumbledore and his Order won't be there…" Harry muttered. "Because if so, not only will we lose votes for Sirius if our people die, but his as well."

"We have to go, now."

"Kiss me first?" Harry asked, feeling like a hopeless fool. Marvolo only smiled though, and bent over to plant his lips firmly on Harry's, tongue invading his mouth for a heavenly moment before drawing back.

Harry released Marvolo's hand as the man turned towards the door, and walked behind him, feeling apprehensive. So much at stake, so little time to prepare for it, such a large army to fight against…

But as he walked through the doors, he saw the mass of people on the field and was astonished, frozen for a moment. The whole grounds were covered in black, with here and there colourful dots where groups of other beings stood. Dwarfs huddled together, shouting loudly and clanking their weapons together, centaurs stamped on the ground, impressive bows and other weapons with them, magicians were polishing their wands and adjusting their armour, which consisted mostly, Harry saw, of the Twin's robes that reflected minor curses. A chosen few were wearing the bands around their heads, and quite a lot more had bags with them with other inventions, pockets filled with Peruvian Instant Darkness powder and poisonous draughts.

All in all, it was an amazing sight, and Harry followed Marvolo with his eyes, men and women falling to their knees and trying to touch his robes in worship as he passed them, as if they were starving beggars touching a man of wealth. Ad in a sense, that was true, for none of them could hold a candle to his power, the magic that rolled off him in waves now he no longer held back, authority clearly visible as he confidently strode to a crowned dwarf and a Vampire Harry recognised as one of the clan leaders. The people parted for him as if they were a sea, and in that moment, Harry knew that everything would be alright as long as Marvolo was here.

He hoped that their enemy would underestimate their force as he himself had underestimated it before he had walked outside.

* * *

Read and Review! I hope there is no dutch in here anywhere... I didn't have google translate -or internet in general- so I put some in between brackets to translate later... tried to read this over quickly and I think I got everything out but I'm not sure.

Thank you for the reviews!


	41. Part II Chapter XVI

Visitor, Chapter 41  
Hello everyone, as promised, a new quick chapter ^^ chap 42 and 43 shall be out soon as well, but I'm still busy with 44. I hope that you like this one :) Finally, the battle is here! Thank you all for your kind reviews!

I'm not sure how much I will be able to write. I'll be going to Japan in two weeks and still have to do quite a bit of paperwork for that so I'll be quite busy for some time.

Enjoy

* * *

The first thing Harry noticed when he arrived on the large, rolling hills of France was how different this fight was from the last one. Having taken place in the narrow streets of London around Grimmauld place, the settling had been more suited to guerrilla tactics, something that was impossible here. He saw that they had the advantage of the sun for now, and while for him that wouldn't matter with the 360 degree vision he'd have when he would adjust his band, it would hinder their enemies. He peered at the next hill, not seeing anyone there yet, while their own army was appearing en masse.

For a moment, he thought that they wouldn't arrive… but then noticed something moving on top of the other hill, a scout that looked down at them and roared instructions to someone behind him, his voice magnified greatly by the wand pressed against his throat. Harry cursed when realising the other army was completely invisible to them, blocked by the hill, but on the other hand, it would mean that they would have to storm over the top before reaching them, as he knew that Marvolo wasn't exactly so stupid as to send his army uphill to meet the others.

He looked around but saw nothing in the landscape that could aid them except for the tall, dry grass in which one could let himself fall to hide, and a couple of scattered boulders. It was warm for January, so the grass wasn't slippery with frost, and while he knew that some people would be disappointed as it would give them an element less to work with, he himself, not having mastered any elemental magic and not wanting to become the victim of it, was merely relieved. While he could cast basic elemental spells and a few advanced ones, he didn't know what to do when hail would rise up from the grass.

Shadows moved around him, and he realised with a sudden jolt that it were the Vampires, who had run up the hill as quickly as they could. The rest turned and followed them, and he ran with them, embarrassed to not have noticed Marvolo's calling out to hide behind their own hill so their formation wouldn't be revealed yet. Harry thought it a bit strange... if one enemy would apparate over quickly to their side, they would be able to see their exact formation and run back again.

_Good thinking, _he heard in his mind._ I'll send someone to__** their**__ side in a second to do just that._

Smirking when having been able to contribute at least something already, he took his place, right behind the impatient dwarves, and he amused himself for a while by watching them rile each other up. Marvolo hadn't wanted him right up front, but he'd insisted, not wanting to be seen as a weakling. And, as he had pointed out, he was better in short than long range magic, as his force was better than his aim. He carefully constructed a shield around himself, a stronger one than the shield the Twins' robes provided. He'd refused his lover's offer to create long-term shields, as Harry knew they would eat Marvolo's magic away during the fight, and he didn't want the man to weaken, even slightly, on his behalf. He hadn't trained for months to be coddled…

Rodolphus came to stand next to him and Harry grinned, glad for it. He had trained so often with the man now that they were pretty much in sync, and they could react to something the other did before it happened by now. It really was a pity that Shay wasn't here now though… he clearly remembered how her knife had saved him during the last battle… Merlin, that hadn't even been long ago, and still it felt ages away. He hadn't even **known** Shay then, and Sirius had still been on the side of the Order. Things were happening far too fast. It reminded him of the whirlwind of happenings that always seemed to take place during the last few weeks of the school year, only now January wasn't even over yet.

Like last time, the high spirits and excitement, as well as the fear, was tangible in the air. The Dementors weren't here yet, thankfully, and would only arrive last-minute, coming from the other side to spread fear in the enemy ranks already before settling next to the Vampires. With any luck, some people might not feel well enough to fight and be discouraged so much that they would go down easily after. Harry shivered at the thought of his encounters with them, and hoped the Vampires separating them would keep him from fainting if they came too close. He wondered if his worst image would still be his mother screaming as she died…

_Concentrate Harry._

He sighed, trying to clear his mind, not sure if the thought had been his own or Marvolo's, but glad to have his previous stream of thoughts interrupted. He was becoming impatient now, and he could see his impatience reflected amongst the ranks, especially in the dwarfs and werewolves. He peered at the left at the group there, their faces unrecognisable as they stood so far away, rows and rows of masked and robed people separating them, but even from this distance he could make out the slightly hunched stances. He knew that werewolves could transform half even if the moon wasn't shining, and it seemed that Greyback's pack especially had practised it so much that it had become a second –or third- nature to them. He wondered if Ryder was there with his pack as well or if he had not been able to convince his Alpha to support Voldemort fully and was now fighting among the magicians. Harry honestly couldn't remember what had become of the feud between those two packs…

Harry looked behind him and was surprised by the sheer numbers. Even at the grounds of Headquarters, where he'd been astonished by the size of the group, he hadn't counted** this** many people… and he now saw that not only Death Eaters were here, but also others, in regular robes, unmasked, of all different nationalities. It appeared they had more support than thought before, and Marvolo's words of people from other continents waiting for Europe to sort its business out might be true on the other side, but the fighters for freedom were all here, and Harry smiled as a group of native Americans appeared, holding staffs rather than wands, their naked chests colourful. A whole force of other people also arrived, people who were so black that Harry at first thought they were fully robed when they came running down the hill with surprising speed before finding a place amongst the ranks.

One of them came to stand near Harry, and the teen looked at the impressive man with slight awe and a great deal of curiousity, a wand far longer than he'd ever seen in the man's hand. Harry blushed and looked away when his gaze travelled slightly lower and he noticed that the man wasn't wearing anything but a thin, rather short hide to cover his private parts. These must be the African wizards Marvolo had spoken of, the ones who had to hide deep in the jungle to avoid Muggle eyes. He remembered little of them, as Marvolo had been more interested in the magic of the Mages in the Brazilian jungle than the African one, but he was certain that the mind-controlling mask Stryker had shown him before had originated among these people, and the rare occasion that Marvolo had mentioned them, he had spoken with appreciation for their skill, power and inventiveness. Harry was suddenly** very** glad that those practitioners of ancient magic were not standing on the **other** hill.

The fields suddenly went very still, though no sign had been given, and the teen realised that no noise of apparition had sounded for minutes. An unseen force seemed to hold everyone in its grip as Marvolo walked through the middle, his side brushing Harry's shoulder slightly as he walked past, though ruby eyes kept themselves fixated on the top of the hill he strode up. He looked... magnificent, there was no other word for it. Harry thought that, had the sun stood on the other side of the sky, the man might have looked even more impressive, a silhouette surrounded by an aura of sunlight. The thought made him bite back a slight laugh. The image would be far too deceiving.

Sensing that the fight was really going to start, he also fixed the band over his eyes that would allow him to see everything, and he blinked a few times to adjust to it, after having needed to look through the holes in his mask for some time. He gripped his wand as Marvolo turned around to face the army.

"My followers, friends, allies," he started, with a voice that carried far over the rows of people. "Thank you all for joining this fight today. Our cause has been challenged, the rights we wish the obtain are being disapproved of, and the governments of many countries are trying to trample us, but we** won't give in**. Show them what we are made of, and why exactly we are worth practising our magic openly, worth openly showing who we are, no matter whether we are magicians, Dwarfs, Vampires or otherwise. We have a right to be, and to be recognised! Fight today as if it will be your last, fight for your freedom, for your magic. For magic, my friends, is **might**."

Harry cheered just as hard as the rest, not sparing his voice as he raised his wand, gripped by the persuasiveness in that voice, moved to tears as he knew that here were hundreds, if not thousands of people who agreed with them, people who believed the same things as he did and who were willing to do everything in their power to realise their goals. And Marvolo… perhaps it was strange to idolise your own lover, but Harry couldn't help but do so when he saw how people clung to his every word, words which gave them the will and strength they needed.

_The other saviour,_ he thought with irony. _The__** real**__ saviour_.

"Their numbers are great," Marvolo continued as the sounds died down a bit. "It is true, we are outnumbered, but numbers count for nothing when I know that every one of you has enough power in him or her to fell ten men or more. Their armies consist only of humans and several Veela, which gives a large number of us an even greater advantage. They have an arrow formation with the Veela in front and magicians all behind those. Be careful not to be lured by those creatures' beauty… Wait for the Dementors to arrive, which will weaken their power, and then let the Vampires take those out first before we move on. That was all the advice I can give you for now… May magic be with you."

As one man, they began to move over the hill, and rather than fall back into the ranks like a normal leader would have done, Marvolo remained in front, confident in his abilities. They didn't move far, halting when half of the groups on front were over the hill, Harry thankfully far enough on front to see what was happening. He held his breath as he saw the other army running towards them already, unaware yet of the giant black cloud that was quickly gaining on them high up in the sky, faster and lower like a Seeker would dive for the snitch. The screams started before the other army was half-way their hill, Dementors dropping from the skies on them before making their way over to Marvolo's army, the Veela, who had been dancing wildly before falling silent for a moment and revealing their ugly, bird-like forms.

The Vampires, who had been waiting patiently, ran down the hill, quicker than anything Harry had seen before, mere blurs on the grass. No more than fifteen seconds later they were back again, arriving just in time to establish a barrier in between the magicians and Dementors, who were now floating in the right flank.

Anger rose within him as their enemies just trampled the fallen Veela, not even taking care to avoid or remove them, crawling over them as if they were mere fallen animals. He felt sorry for the creatures, for choosing the wrong side, a side that promised golden mountains without telling them it was black gold on which the creatures would burn. Using that anger to fuel himself, Harry broke out in a run, following others and being followed by others, somewhere in the back of his mind hoping he wouldn't trip and fall. He was clumsy enough for it…

Then, he didn't even have time to think anymore, having reached the front lines of the enemies, starting with the line of curses and spells he had practised for this exact moment. He blasted the first people who reached him back, using their moment of imbalance to set them aflame, the fire spreading out to the grass as they fell and tried to put themselves out. Rodolphus, who was still next to him and accomplished with the element, made use of his spell to control it further, making sure it went back instead of forward, quickly helped by some who seemed to do nothing at first, until harry realised they were controlling the air, most likely influencing the oxygen in it. It became a battle of control there, mages on both sides now trying to get the upper hand over the fire, until Harry, who couldn't do much with both elements, decided to release a poisonous smoke from his wand at a moment their side had the fire and the wind under control.

He felt victorious as he saw the effect it had, the mages on the opposite side falling to the ground, their hands covering their mouths and noses, defenceless to the fire that suddenly swept over them and burned most of them alive. Others, who were fast enough to cast a bubble-head charm and other means to protect themselves from the smoke, tried to put the fire out now it was clear they couldn't use it anymore, but a hoard of Dementors which came from nowhere dived down on them and feasted upon their souls as the mages around Harry took them out one by one.

By now, more people who had noticed their fight started to release poisonous fumes, the wind still controlled to be in their favour, and the effect was very successful until the enemy surprised them by concentrating only on those who were controlling the wind, knowing that the natural one came from their side. Harry cursed and cast both a bubble-head charm and a spell on himself that would temporarily make his robes fire-proof, something he should have done much earlier. The last appeared to be unnecessary however, as the last act of the wind-controllers was to cut off all oxygen supply at once, the fire dying instantly.

Rodolphus pulled him away as they lost ground, but Harry refused to retreat, afraid to be trampled by his fellow soldiers. Instead, he ran up to a somewhat open spot that was higher than the rest so the ground would make up for his lack of height. He had grown somewhat, but being forced to grow up in a small cupboard had stunted his growth to an amount of which he wasn't certain he could ever recover.

Now being on eye-level with most others, he started a difficult spellwork Devaki had taught him a long time ago, and he bit his lip in concentration as he pulled water out of the air and heated it until he had a ring of boiling hot water surrounding him closely. It was one of the many variations of one spell actually, and similar to boiling mist he had used against Eyolf the day he had gotten Dumbledore's memories. He gulped, the heat a tad too close for his liking, but he had limited space to with. He cried out as he evaded a stunner that was shot straight at him and he hit the water himself, burning his side. He nearly choked on his tongue as he tried not to lose it.

Finally succeeding to control the wobbly water and being sure it wouldn't go wild if he tried to push it in the direction he wanted, Harry felt relieved. He had to evade another curse and swore, but this time he saw it coming and was smart enough to move the ring with him instead of running into it again. At last, he chose his targets and flung small splashes of it towards the faces, glad they did not wear masks like the Death Eaters. He didn't stop to look at his work, but the screams told him he'd hit, and he kept manipulating the water with the only spell he knew, heating it up and throwing it towards his enemies. One by one they went down, until something rumbled and earth shot up, clasping around his ankle, the water falling down on the ground.

He fired spells at it to break loose, but couldn't use the usual spells for it in fear of injuring his own feet. The earth crept further and formed a hand, and his heart sank when he realised it was a Golem, a creature made and controlled by a powerful wizard. Who was here that could make Golems? Remembering Marvolo's advise about Golems he had received once, Harry looked it straight in the eyes, and while he had not expected to see anything he recognised – there were thousands of wizards fighting here after all-, he was frozen on the spot when familiar light blue eyes met his.

"Dumbledore…" he whispered. The Golem did not react on it, merely continued to immobilise him. A shiver went through him. While he knew it was a magically made creature, it did not diminish the feeling that he was quite literally in Dumbledore's hands again now. Help was not something he would get here now. All Death Eaters were far too preoccupied, and trying to avoid the Golem as much as possible. And then there was also the fact that masks could be handy, but also made it impossible to recognise him. He was just another death eater, and no-one was going to risk his or her life for him. He laughed bitterly, suddenly remembering words he had heard long ago, or it seemed that way at least.

"_Every man and woman will fight for themselves and if someone covers you, that's great, but don't expect it to happen, because then you will be __**dead**__. The Dark Lord will have other things on his mind than to watch your every move, and you will be one of the prime targets of the Light."_

It was true, wasn't it? He was here now, dangling in the air, and while he was surrounded by fighting people, he was truly alone. The mind-link was shut from his side, though not the other way around, and hammering on the iron doors of Marvolo's mind would only distract and potentially harm the man even, if he was fighting a dangerous enemy. It was as something heavy dropped into the pit of his stomach, Eyolf's words echoing through his mind.

"_N__o-one __**cares**__ about when facing hundreds of enemies, all trying to kill you.__"_

And they didn't, all too pre-occupied with staying alive themselves. It was as if he were a ghost, floating through the people, not able to interfere. His heart sank when he saw the state of the battle. They were losing ground, and losing people fast… too fast. Their initial success was over, and the other army had more than made up for their losses. One thing they had not accounted for when seeing the formation of the enemies was that they had been ranked through value, with the best fighters in the back to save their energy so they could take out masses when their enemy was weaker. It was as if the lives of those in the front lines had meant nothing more than to save energy for a few.

" _I have told you before that you have to use every means possible to stay alive when confronted with enemies. You cannot afford to__** not**__ throw a dagger in someone's back during a battle if it gives you a chance to live a few seconds longer.__If you are aware enough, and, no matter how little you may like it, play foul enough, you will survive__."_

Advise... the man had given him advice to get through this… after all the talk of how war wasn't glorious, how war wasn't honest and foul, he had been given a piece of advice of a value he had not fully recognised back then. He had not been aware enough, and had had to pay for that. As a result, the chances that he would survive had diminished greatly.

He looked at the fighting masses as he was carried through the battle, unable to move, and while he had not seen it before, perhaps not wanted to see it before, he saw now what Eyolf had meant. Before, Marvolo's words about worth and freedom had penetrated his mind, clouded it from reality, but he saw now the true horrors of war. Blood soaked the field, people were left dying where they fell, their enemies not even caring to give them a proper finishing blow, people went berserk in their last moments like madmen, burned and unrecognizable lumps of flesh. He had did this too, just now, burning people and leaving them, and he felt slightly sick with himself.

But indeed, no matter how little he liked it… he would have to fight, and he would do it in the nature of war: foul and full of risk. He would not get caught by Dumbledore ever again. A plan started to form in his mind when he realised that the Golem was probably bringing him there. He released a breath, something he'd better not have done, as the hand was around his middle now, and tightened like a snake, not giving in an inch, making him struggle to breathe. His hand was thankfully still clenched around his wand, and he used Dumbledore's own Golem to hide it from sight, jabbing it into the earth, thankful when finding it a bit loose, only held together by magic, not because it was so solid. Only the handle poked out now, and he touched it lightly with his fingers, filling it with magic until the time was there. There would be no dual for Dumbledore, no glorious speech for him to say, no mad twinkling eyes as he reprimanded Harry. He would simply… die.

Finally, he spotted the man, who was ironically duelling with Marvolo, who noticed the Golem and, naturally, Harry. The duel ceased as the Golem lowered Harry to the ground. Dumbledore came closer, a small smirk settling around his mouth.

"Harry, Harry… there you are." He said, opening his mouth to say even more. Harry did not reply, closing his eyes and swallowing slowly. So much could go wrong… so much…

_I trust you to patch me up_ he thought, hoping with all his mind that it would reach his lover, pushing the thought forcefully into Marvolo's mind. _I'm I'm sorry, very sorry, if this goes wrong._

_Harry… Harry don't be stupid, whatever heroic thing you want to do, don't__**, don't**__!_

Dumbledore had come even closer now, was standing next to him, his heart beating fast as the old man bent over him, over the hand that enclosed him. Now… there was no other chance. Now, don't be a coward Harry… Now…

"_**Bombarda**__"_

Everything around him exploded, but he did not see, his own cries ringing in his ears as pain shot through him, through all of his limbs, Marvolo's fury and despair splitting his scar open as well, making the experience complete. The last thing he saw as he blacked out were giant silhouettes against the sun, as if enormous birds.

XxX

A shiver ran through his massive body as they approached the site of blood. It filled his nostrils, and from the corners of his eyes he was aware of souls seeking harbour above the clouds, few sticking around to become the bleak forms of non-life that inhabited the fortress of magic they had spent so much time near. The spiny naked paws of Dragonheart clutched his spikes as he dived, the other dragons following, the drums of war echoing through their blood, the shrieking of their ancestors calling from the earth for vengeance. This was what he had been born to do… To soar on the wind and hunt his prey freely.

At last they reached the blood-soaked hills, and he folded in one of his wings to evade a Man of the Mountains, who stared at him dumbly for a moment before trying to grab his tail. Xaphia twisted around and sent a straight jet of fire to his eyes, though making the flame not long enough to actually reach it. It was merely a warning, and he turned around again and flew on, easily spotting his enemies, clouds of hostility rising from them in a sickeningly pale yellow.

He saw the memories of the battle, hundreds of memories all twisting and turning on the field below, humans and other creatures falling to the earth while their souls parted from them, magic making the air a sizzling mass. Something exploded in front of them, and he rolled away to avoid clutters of earth that were blasted into the air. He snarled, but then noticed a powerful, bright blue soul drifting upwards, slowly as if reluctant to part. Xaphia slowed down as well, gazing at it, almost hypnotised, ignoring Dragonheart's poking against his side to move on.

At last, he dropped down to the earth, a sudden fear gripping him, and as he tumbled, he just saw one of the Black Horror's of Fear, one of the few creatures who could defeat a dragon, but instead of going after Xaphia, it clasped raw, ugly hands over the blue soul and brought it to his mouth, sucking it up incredibly slowly before it could escape.

Slowly, Xaphia turned away from the Black Horror, letting himself drop even more so he could properly hunt, claws outstretched towards his first victim. He tried to ignore the feelings the physical contact evoked in him, the curse of dragons to feel everything their victim did if the feelings were intense. And intense they were this moment, fear rising up from everywhere. Xaphia felt a few lesser dragons behind him flee to higher air for a moment and growled at them, pleased when they obeyed and returned. It seemed they had come on the right moment. If the burning orb of day had shifted towards the never ending line in distance only slightly more, the Lord of Serpents would have lost this battle… although Xaphia sensed that he already felt as if he had lost. This revelation puzzled him slightly. Their arrival had turned the tides, but the Lord was feeling oddly… detached.

New strength rose within him, his pride would not allow for this! With renewed vigour, he tore up his enemies while Dragonheart released his own magic through that odd twig of his. Must be a human thing… Humans cowered before him as he got an idea and attacked their twigs, becoming more and more satisfied with every branch that snapped in between his mighty jaws. He was in his element, now and then flying, but mostly running over the earth, using his wings to keep balance and to slightly go from side to side. A shadow kept up with him and Xaphia released a pleased, welcome growl as he recognised a fellow hunter. With silent communication, they took out an enemy before parting again.

At last, there were no more enemies to fight, having been either killed or fled, and he went to licking his own wounds, Dragonheart jumping off his back. Something still didn't sit well with him though, and he suddenly realised that the Lord of Serpents' mood had not improved. Xaphia, slightly annoyed, sniffed the air, tasting the wind to find him, and then carried off, only stopping when Dragonheart shouted at him, allowing his human on his back again before sprinting away, reaching the one he wanted to in no time.

The sight he was met with was not a pretty one, and at once, the reason for the Lord's distress became clear. The tall human turned to him, but the voice was flat and eyes dead as he spoke.

~Thank you for your aid, Lord dragon.~

Xaphia bowed his head nonetheless, the human had good reasons at the moment to not mind anything, least of all formalities. He had heard and seen much of this man through memories, a force to be reckoned with, having bound his soul to earth so it would not be able to escape, half his body made of human flesh, half of snake venom, and a form with which he could fly with dragons.

Now though, he merely looked defeated, sinking down to one knee as the mangled body in front of him moved. Xaphia leaned closer, wondering how much he would be able to understand. He huffed as the first two words interchanged were ones he was unfamiliar with, until he realised that they might be each other's names, and he waited. He did not understand everything, but enough to realise that the youngling at the man's feet was what Dragonheart was to him, and that he was accepting, even embracing death at this moment, with not even magic being strong enough to save him. Nothing short of a miracle would, and he was sadly unable to help. Nothing but a miracle would save that human now. Silently, he retreated again to give the humans their privacy in the youngling's last moments. He pulled Dragonheart back, who had jumped off his back and tried to reach the two. Didn't he understand the importance of privacy in mourning?

Finally, his human gave up, slumping against Xaphia's paw, suddenly turning to embrace his neck, and it was then that Xaphia realised that he had seen the boy's aura before, although it had been slightly different then, in the memories of the female who had taught him speech. No wonder Dragonheart tried to reach the youngling… he knew him, though they were not even as close as pack members, much less nest brothers, so he had no right to be here now, even if he wanted to.

Careful not to trod on his human, Xaphia turned and went over to the rest of the dragons, who had landed a bit further, as he left the Serpent Lord and his near-dead mate behind.

He was stopped, however, and raised his head against the sun as an unearthly, melodious sound filled the sky and warmed his heart.

* * *

Look forward to the next chap ;3

I was so tempted to end the chapter one sentence sooner but I think that then I would have been attacked with pitchforks so in the end I decided not to...

Also! I am writing an original story which I intend to try and publish once it's finished, and I'm searching for bèta-readers. Not for the grammar/spelling, but to help me with plot lines, tell me when it's starting to grow boring, answer polls over pairings and other such things and force me to update mostly.  
I want about eight people for that, people willing to give me really extensive reviews in later chapters and whom I can count on to follow it until the end. The story is science-fiction, T-rated and follows the stories of a brother and sister, both with their own plot lines which sometimes come together. I do have nearly the whole story in my head, and nearly three chapters written out now, plus a general chapter overview...

If you are interested, please PM me with a ways of contacting you so I can send you the first few chapters. You can always say 'no' after reading those and finding the story not your thing.

Read and review!  
xx GeMerope


	42. Part II Chapter XVII

Chapter 42

Thanks for all the reviews :)  
Also, thank you, Cathy, for responding on the bèta request for my original story. If anyone else is interested, please PM me.

Enjoy

* * *

Rubbing the sleep from her face, Hermione took another cup of coffee, not daring to look in a mirror. Now, she had never been vain, but she didn't want to be confronted with how absolutely horrendous she must look. Past days had taken a toll on her, and she had only barely been able to keep her studies at the same level as they had been before. It was morning now, around 6am. She groaned audibly into the empty common room, her head slumping down on her arms. Another sleepless night… what she really needed now was another time-turner so she could at least get a decent rest.

She had began this with such high spirits, and only now did she admit how naïve she had been, and how arrogant. Things were slowly started to go in the right direction after she'd done as Rita had said, but it went very slow, and only very few wizards had been willing to speak for her to the Goblins. She longingly looked at the stairs leading to the girl's dorms, to the bed that hadn't been used the past three nights, but she knew she couldn't afford to waste time.

Once more, she took a sip of the warm beverage which had quickly become her new companion as she flipped through letters and goblin reports. It had taken damned long and had nearly used up all her patience to make herself believable. The only thing that she was glad of was that she was absolutely certain that the goblins also wanted to wield magic. And now they slowly started to believe that the Dark Side wanted to give them that with no other strings attached than to give support.

One positive, slightly surprising but very promising factor was that, while many magicians had initially reacted with shock, there had been no real negative sounds from that side. It had been unusual that the matter had been brought up again, but the goblin wars were long over, and the only thing most people remembered about those nowadays were the boring talks of Binns, more a rattling off of statistics than anything else. Goblins and wizards had lived together in relative peace for centuries, and the creatures did not seem as if they were about to usurp the magical society if they were to be granted the right of wands.

Rita's many arguments against Goblins appeared to be of a prejudiced kind that was rare in the Wizarding society. Even Purebloods, who usually weren't very keen on anyone challenging their superiority, benefited too much of the goblin race and their incredible financial sense to oppose them openly. Unlike house-elves, the only thing that oppressed Goblins now was the law, not the general public opinion and treatment of the race

But all that had only added to Hermione's sense of confusion when she hit invisible barriers whenever she tried to help them by telling them the laws could be changed. Perhaps it was because Goblins had a memory that went far further back than that of humans, or maybe it could be attributed to that they viewed themselves more as a close community over individuals. In either case, they were incredibly wary and closed, so much that she had had many difficulties to even get a debate going about it. In the mind of the Goblins, wizards were all alike, just like they saw themselves as all alike, and because they had been treated as little but animals in the past by wizards, they were incredibly sceptic about a wizard possibly aiding them. That belief was ingrained so much even that she had often been pointed towards the door when she'd tried to talk to them herself, the goblins giving her the clear message that they wouldn't be played with.

But now… now it seemed like she was finally getting somewhere. Travers, the same who had informed her about Goblin society before, had convinced them to do a completely unnecessary survey, only to get it black-on-white how many percent of the Goblins wished for wands, and how many would want to relinquish their Neutral position for that. Well, it wasn't unnecessary per se, or rather not all of it. The second part **would** make a major difference, and hopefully Voldemort would be satisfied with those results. She knew she had made less than desirable progress and her reports had been meagre as a direct result of that. She had not received word back, which was expected, but not very positive.

She hastily worked on her first** good** report, hoping it would get her in better graces. When she was finally satisfied with the result, she spelled her ink-stained fingers clean and got up, a tad wobbly. She had to steady herself by pressing her palms flat on the table. No-one was up still, but when checking the time she noticed that Lavender would probably be up already for her make-up morning ritual, as breakfast would start soon.

Yawning, she organised the papers and put them in her bag, deciding that she could go to the Owlery after breakfast. She was positively famished.

Nothing exciting happened on her way to the Great Hall, and she was pleased to see that breakfast was already being served, even though she was one of the first. She buttered her sandwich in silence. Ever since both Harry and Ron had gone, she'd found that people were starting to avoid her slightly again, be it consciously or out of habit. The only one who spoke to her on a regular basis still was, surprisingly enough, Neville. Luna, a friend of Harry's had also sought out her presence a couple of times in the library, but Hermione had to admit that she didn't quite know what to say to the girl without instantly trying to dispel the odd ideas she had.

Neither were in the Hall now though, and she was already almost finished when the first odd thing of the day happened. Whispers broke out through the Hall, which had slowly started to be filled as time passed, as a large, rather mean-looking owl soared through one of the windows. It was unlike one she had ever seen before: gigantic and black with piercing yellow eyes and faster than she was used to. Therefore, when it came directly her way and landed in front of her, flapping its enormous wings wildly, she sat stunned, not knowing what to do. The sharp beak snapped towards her as she failed to react, and a claw, outstretched as large as her own hand, was stuck forwards. With trembling hands she untied the envelope that was fastened to the leg, not sure if this was a mistake or not. She hardly ever got mail here, and this wasn't even the regular morning mail, which would arrive in about thirty minutes.

The beast didn't fly away when she unrolled the envelope, her own name clearly written on the parchment in a handwriting that looked slightly familiar to her, although she didn't know why. It was straight, slanted only minimally to the left and very readable, unlike most of the handwritings she had seen, certainly when having been written with quill and ink.

She didn't know if she could open this here, but the owl was staring at her so intensely that she didn't dare to get up and turn her back on it in fear of being attacked. As no-one sat near her anyways, she carefully opened it, glad when it appeared to be a normal letter. That was, until she saw the contents.

_To Miss Granger,_

_I have found your reports to be rather lacking. You are going to have to send me some real progress within four days or I shall rely on someone else. News will probably be delayed as much as possible about this in Hogwarts, but Dumbledore is dead, and the dirt on him will have to be published very soon. However, as you have not convinced me of your reliability I am tempted to put a more competent person on that._

_Expecting results,  
Lord Voldemort._

For a moment she felt as if in a stupor. Four days? She was very glad for the nights she'd spent working now, and the report in the bag next to her. She didn't know if it was enough, or the progress he wanted, but it was all she could give him at the moment. The piece of news that had been given was shocking however, and she didn't know what to think of it. Dumbledore was dead? The headmaster had been at dinner merely two days ago… to think he would never attend another evening here was… odd. While she knew of his manipulations and flaws and didn't like the man at all anymore, his presence at Hogwarts had always been a constant one, a familiar sight that she could rely on.

Who would become the new Headmaster? McGonagall seemed the most logical choice, but she hadn't been here since yesterday either, causing some confusion among the students. Professor Ambrosius, the new Herbology teacher, had taken over her classes, and she found him to be competent in both courses. She wondered whether Dumbledore had chosen him or the Board of the school… Firenze, who now taught Divination instead of Trelawney, had obviously been Dumbledore's idea, but Hermione wasn't sure about Ambrosius. If he had been chosen by the School Board and thus Voldemort though, that would mean there were three teachers and the caretaker now who were on the side of the Dark.

Speaking of which, Snape had been just as absent as Dumbledore and McGonagall, but there was no-one good enough in potions among the staff to take that over. Thus, Hermione had had a nice extra hour in which she could thankfully catch up with her homework, and it had meant one piece of homework less for the next class, something she had for once welcomed very much.

She took parchment and quill out of her bag, careful not to expose her neck to the black owl, and penned a quick reply to Voldemort, deciding she might as well use his own owl to mail him the report. She put the letter in his own envelope, scratching out her name on it to show him that it wasn't just his own letter sent back, an held the report out to the owl, hoping it wouldn't mind carrying the papers in its beak. She jumped slightly as it snapped shut on the documents, and a gust of wind followed when it flew up, leaving Hermione behind in relief.

"Hey Granger, you attracting vicious beasts now?" someone shouted from the Ravenclaw table, trying to be funny. "Usually opposites attract but in this case I'm not sure… Who's that letter from, your boyfriend? Krum** would** have such an animal." She ignored the pestering voice and, with a quick flick of her wand, burned the letter before anyone would try to grab it and reveal her in their ignorance. "Oooh, must be a bad letter! He breaking up with you?"

"What **is** your problem?" she finally snapped."Haven't gotten an owl from your girl in a while and trying to take out your frustration on those who do get paid attention to?" she said, feeling slightly better after that. Not that she was implying that she and Voldemort… The thought made her shudder. No, she would leave that to Harry, who for some strange reason seemed to be **completely** infatuated.

* * *

"You foolish boy!"

Harry groaned and blinked against the bright light that surrounded him, the words not yet having registered in his mind. He looked up, a bit hazy, wincing as an onslaught of feelings washed through him. "Ouch, tone it down a bit would you? I was nearly blasted to smithereens…"

His attempt at humour was not appreciated. "Nearly,** nearly**? You would have **died** if that bird had come only** seconds** later!" The voice was shrill now, nearly yelling, and Harry's eyes flew open for real, his head throbbing as he suddenly sat up. The room was empty, save for the man next to his bed, and for a moment he had absolutely no clue where he was until he recognised bits and parts, although it wasn't all familiar. The bed was obviously a hospital bed, and everything else, from the nightstand to the window and the low-maintenance plants in front of said window screamed the impersonal atmosphere of a hospital too, but he was certain that it wasn't the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts. For an absurd moment, he thought Marvolo might have burst into St Mungo's with a dying Harry in his arms, yelling at the staff like a madman.

"It can't have been that bad…" Harry muttered. "I remember thinking I'd die, yes… I'd been hit rather badly… but I don't seem to have any wounds now… Nothing hurts." He looked down, not even scars adorning his arms as a reminder of the awful piece of magic that had ripped him apart. "What of Dumbledore? I hope he didn't recover like I did?"

Marvolo gave him an incredulous look, and Harry was shocked and slightly uncomfortable to see streaks of dried tears that the man had neglected to rub away. From the way his wounds had healed, some time must have passed between then and now…

"You don't remember?"

"Everything I remember are large birds in the sky… and then some flashes. You hovering over me, saying my name… me trying to answer you… it hurt so badly…" Harry winced as memories of the pain came to the forefront of his mind. Pain should not be something that memories were able to reconstruct so clearly… "Then nothing anymore… only an odd sound, almost like music. Me thinking I was going insane and hearing heaven call, and then nothing again."

The man released a long breath and sat down on his bed, carefully gathering Harry in his arms as if he were still wounded. "You have no idea how close you came to heaven darling," he muttered. "Your body had been ripped apart… the only reason you were still alive was that you happened to lie in an angle at which your intestines were being kept in place. If you had landed on your stomach you would have been done for… And even now you were just… bleeding out."

"Then…" Harry said puzzled, "how come I am here, feeling fine?"

"Your wand… your wand sensed your danger somehow, and the link responded. Do you remember? Our link does not only extend to the two of us love…"

"Fawkes!" Harry exclaimed, suddenly understanding.

"Exactly. Thankfully he has his own form of apparition, or else he would never have made it in time. You literally had **seconds** when he started healing you. The amount of tears he spilled on you must have been worth more than the whole Malfoy vault."

"That sure is something," Harry muttered, smiling weakly. "Draco must be jealous. I bet he never got a gift worth that much. I should tell him so he can go whine to Lucius about it."

"It's not a laughing matter Harry," Marvolo told him, not looking very amused. "To think how close you came to death… a couple more seconds and we wouldn't be here, together. What possessed you to pull that stunt? Blowing yourself up to take Dumbledore out? If the battle between us had continued I might have been able to take him down myself."

Harry cast his eyes downwards. "I'm sorry… I knew there was a risk but… I had actually put my hopes on the Golem, as the palm of its hand supported my back. I thought it would keep me from getting damaged too much myself. I also had a shield up but it seems that it wasn't as strong as I'd hoped."

"That might have worked, had it not fallen apart when it hit Dumbledore… After all, it was that old fool who created the thing, and his concentration was the only thing that kept it together. The moment you blasted Dumbledore out of this world, the Golem crumbled and you got hit by your own explosion."

"But Dumbledore… is he really…"

"Yes, he's really dead… my compliments for that," Marvolo smiled wryly.

"It wasn't as if I'd planned to go to him actually… The Golem had gotten a hold on me and was carrying me towards Dumbledore, so I figured I might as well use that against him. He was the one who interrupted the duel with that by placing himself in a straight line between you and me, as he knew that you would risk hitting me if you continued. I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't acted…"

"I'm surprised he used that tactic actually." Marvolo said, thoughtful. "As far as I know he was never aware of our relationship, and as he believes me completely heartless, I could just have continued to duel him anyways…"

"I suppose he thought I was your 'trophy'. He knew how protective you are of the things you call yours."

"Perhaps. I am disappointed that I never got to rub it in his face for real, but letting him know of our relationship would have been a terrible move in case he escaped."

"Perhaps there'll be a painting of him that we can gloat to," Harry suggested, finally making Marvolo chuckle slightly before the man grew serious again.

"We are now faced with some difficulties though. The very thing that I had wanted to avoid happened. He died a martyr, for we did not publicise his history and discredit him before his death."

Harry gave his lover a shocked look. "I hadn't thought of that… does that mean… was it all for nothing?" The thought of his whole mission to gather Dumbledore's memories being worthless upset him a great deal…

"Not for nothing, no, but we shall have to act quickly. Miss Granger failed to convince the Goblins, so I shall have to look at other reporters than Skeeter…"

"Did she? I actually heard some rumours about her seeking people to speak for her to the Goblins, and during one of the last Death Eater meetings I heard that some had accepted…"

"You know more than I do then. I shall have to speak to her. I don't trust Lovegood to not mix up the facts and combine them with his own previous stories. There can be done enough with solely the facts, and every bit that becomes public about his life that can destroy him needs to be backed up with sources. It won't do us any good if people start to question parts, as they could start to question the whole."

Before Harry could answer, the door opened and a nervous man in light green robes entered. "The patient is up then?" he said in a soft, fragile voice. Harry blinked, once more wondering where exactly they were.

"I'm feeling fine," he reassured the man, who nodded and fled as soon as the words had left the teen's mouth. "Where did you bring me?"

"St Mungo's," Marvolo answered, and before Harry could help it, he'd let out a disbelieving laugh.

"For real? How did you manage to not get arrested?"

"The hospital is complete neutral ground love. I usually don't send my Death Eaters here just in case, but you needed treatment too much. Fawkes healed your outer wounds, and Severus administered blood replenishing and some healing potions, but you insides were damaged too."

"You know I despise strange doctors," Harry told the other, a tad harsher than he'd wanted to. "Couldn't Narcissa heal me?"

"I kept you in a constant state of sleep because of that. And no, Narcissa is skilled, but don't forget that she never finished her training. I simply couldn't trust anyone but the best for you, and those were all in St Mungo's. I briefly considered Pomfrey, but had no way to reach her on such short notice."

That mellowed Harry somewhat, and he felt grateful for that Marvolo** had** given it some thought. "**Did** you barge in and demand them to heal me while throwing a fit and cursing people all around?" Harry asked curiously. The corner of Marvolo's mouth lifted slightly, which gave a strange expression as he had hardly any lips.

"Perhaps," the man muttered, absentmindedly starting to stroke Harry's cheek. The teen sighed, relaxing under the touch and arching his neck as the hand slid over his throat.

"This reminds me of summer," he heard, and hummed in agreement. Impatiently, he shrugged the blankets off a bit, annoyed when noticing he was wearing one of those hospital gowns that are fastened around one's neck and middle and leave the back open. He didn't mind feeling exposed in front of Marvolo, but the thought of strange people undressing him made his stomach clench.

"Who… who changed my clothes?" he asked in a strained voice.

"Did you really think I would let others touch you like that?" the man replied, and Harry instantly relaxed again, feeling relieved. He muttered something unintelligible and butted his head against the familiar hands in demand for the man to continue his petting.

"Eager, love?" The lust in the man's voice made his skin ache in excitement, and as red eyes raved over the exposed patches of skin, he felt content and wanted.

"Not my fault that we haven't made love for weeks," he grumbled. "Unless you count that time you took me against the wall when you caught me just out of my shower as you got changed, but that lasted no more than ten minutes before you had to get going again."

"I'm sorry darling, I'll make it up to you as soon as you're let out of the hospital, which I expect to be soon. Also, there was something else I wanted to tell you. As you killed Dumbledore, **this** was earned as well." Harry was confused for a moment as Marvolo put a hand in his robes, searching for something, before pulling his hand back and revealing a very familiar wand.

"I hadn't even thought of that!" Harry breathlessly said as he took the wand from his lover, and he shivered as a few sparks sprung from the tip. The death stick… the first Hallow, the most powerful wand ever made, but also the most treacherous if they had to believe Grindelwald. He felt uneasy at how happy it seemed to feel in his hands, this wand which had switched owners through a long string of murders. "I'm not sure if I want to wield it," he admitted. "To think of what has been done with this wand… Don't you want it? If you were to disarm me right now it would apparently switch ownership to you."

"I'm not sure if I want to trust a wand won so easily… And last battle made me realise something. As you are now, you are... incredibly vulnerable. I am not letting you go out into battle anymore before I am certain that you can't die anymore. I feel uneasy with the thought of you mutilating your own soul though, and even if you call me a hypocrite, I will not aid you in doing so. However, the owner of all three Hallows is supposed to become Master of Death… and you possess two now."

"But is that title really something? Or has it been made up by legends? After all, it's not as if they were made by Death itself either, even though that's how the story goes. What does 'master of death' really mean?" Harry had been curious about that title before, and it seemed a good solution if it held some truth. He wasn't all too keen on damaging his own soul. He had to admit that the thought had fascinated him when he had first learnt of Marvolo's Horcruxes, but ever since seeing the ritual in which the man had created his last one, it hadn't looked so appealing anymore.

"That is not something I can answer, but I hoped that it would mean you would be granted immortality somehow."

"And yet, we can't be **sure**."

"Mr Potter?" another voice sounded, and they both looked up, noticing someone had entered, another Healer, female this time, looking far more confident than the one they'd seen previously. On a second glance, Harry saw that one came in behind the elder woman. "I am Healer Grace, and have been responsible for your healing yesterday. Healer Brent just told me you were up and about and indicating you felt recovered?"

Harry liked her instantly. He wasn't sure why, perhaps it was the fact that she was a woman like Pomfrey and Narcissa, and all the awful doctors the Dursleys had taken him to had been men. She didn't seem afraid at all, only a tad surprised as her eyes flicked from Harry's face to his right hand, around which Marvolo's was curled loosely now. She quickly looked back though, without commenting on it, and a pleasant, sunny smile spread on her face. Harry handed the wand over to Marvolo again, who pocketed it.

"I am glad to see you have healed up so nicely. Of course, my treatment was nothing compared to that of the legendary bird who I heard aided you… And it is solely thanks to that, that not even scars remain. Do be careful to not point explosion spells on yourself next time."

Harry laughed sheepishly at the humorous reprimand. "Nah, I have no targets I am itching to blow up near me anymore," he replied, feeling Marvolo's eyes narrow on him.

"And **I** shall make sure he won't get a chance to do so anymore," the man said in a clipped voice, the hand tightening for a moment.

"Please don't keep me from battle," Harry said –not begged, he was absolutely not begging- "I want to be useful, and you said before that it was my own choice whether I participated or stayed away… Well, I want to make myself useful and fight rather than wait for you to come back and spend my time worrying… I promise I won't do anything like this anymore."

Marvolo sighed. "Harry, no." he simply said. "Not until I'm sure I can't lose you anymore. I came far too close to doing so. You can keep yourself occupied in the library or by training if you want to, but you had your share of battles, and this is already the second time you nearly lost your life. Don't think I forgot last time. I… underestimated the risks it would pose for you."

Harry was incredibly surprised, not at his words, but at the fact that he would speak so honestly and with his feelings so clearly on display with other people in the room, people who weren't even at their side. The elderly Healer, Grace, did her name honour, standing still with her hands in front of her, her eyes on the window as she waited for them to finish their conversation. Brent was the opposite though, his mouth hanging open slightly as he watched on. It was even more surprising because Marvolo could easily have switched to Parseltongue. It was almost as if he honestly didn't care anymore to show his feelings.

"Rodolphus will laugh so hard at me," Harry muttered, finally giving in. He saw Marvolo hesitate to say something before pressing his lips tightly together. "What?"

"Rodolphus… perished on the battlefield."

"No," Harry softly said. "No he didn't." He didn't even understand why Marvolo would say such a thing. Rodolphus was… was a survivor, he couldn't simply **die** like that! "I can't believe it. Say it isn't true?" He was begging now, thoughts of the man who had slowly warmed up to him filling his mind, all the spells he'd taught Harry, all the hours of training together…

"I'm sorry, I can't."

Mutedly, the teen nodded, turning his head away from the people near the door as tears started to find their way over his cheeks. "Has anyone told Rabastan yet?" he asked, his voice betraying his grief.

"There is no need to," the man answered, and Harry merely nodded again, the implications clear enough.

"Good. I mean... not good, of course, but… at least they don't have to live alone then… live with that knowledge and… and…" He gulped, not able to say more. He didn't care for the people in the room anymore, leaning forwards suddenly to hug his lover, clinging tightly to him as he buried his face in the man's robes, wetting the fabric as he sobbed. It was only now that he fully realised how** real** the threat of death was, and how close Marvolo had been to losing him, to having to live with the knowledge that he sent Harry out into the very battle he would have died in. For Marvolo had started this war, and while Harry followed him on his own accord, Marvolo **was** responsible for everyone there, as he was the one who lead every fight. "I won't go anymore if you don't want me to," he said, his voice muffled by the robes and distorted through his tears. Nonetheless, the man seemed to have understood, for the arms that had accepted his embrace tightened.

"Thank you." The two words were not muttered, but spoken loud and clear, relief and gratefulness in his tone. It took a few more minutes before Harry calmed down enough to pull away, feeling a bit ashamed for the weakness he'd shown. He still trembled slightly as he was released and Grace approached the bed, looking at Marvolo for approval. On his nod, she sat down on the chair next to the bed as Harry cleared his face of tears

"Sorry for that," he mumbled.

"It's alright dear, I know what it's like to lose people… it's a feeling that never really gets better does it?" Harry whispered his agreement, trying to shake thoughts of the two now dead men from his mind. "However, it's more important to remember the living than the dead, just a piece of advice. They're the ones who need it. And you, no matter how close you came to death, are still alive. Come, will you allow me to check up on you?"

Harry threw a nervous look at Brent, who still stood near the door, looking torn between staying or fleeing. On a sign of Grace, he gratefully walked out of the door, and Harry felt a little bit better after. "Alright," he finally said, when feeling up to it.

"Good… would you please move off the bed?" she asked Marvolo, and it surprised Harry how fast he did as asked, maybe remembering his encounter with Pomfrey. "Brilliant," the woman stated, and she slowly moved the blankets away so they rested on the height of his waist. Harry squirmed a bit under her touch as she moved the gown to inspect his stomach, fully aware that the only thing separating her from his private parts was a thin blanket and a sheet, which would uncover him the moment they would accidentally slide down a couple of inches. "Please relax," she softly said, but Harry had difficulty doing so, his muscles tensing even more as she placed her hand on his diaphragm.

~Harry, just listen to my voice~ Marvolo suddenly hissed. ~Relax love, she will not hurt you, I will not allow it.~ Harry released a breath as the softly hissed, soothing words washed over him, and slowly he noticed his body calming down, his heartbeat slowing and his breathing turning even. ~Good, just like that. Remember I'm here, just concentrate on my voice.~

He closed his eyes, listening as Marvolo spoke on about everything and nothing, talking to talk, but it worked astonishingly well, and before he knew it he felt the blanket being draped back over him, the stream of words stopping. "Thank you," he heard Grace say, and he opened his eyes slowly, seeing she was addressing Marvolo. "That seemed to work. I'm all done now, and he seems to have healed nicely. I advice rest for a while as the tissue is still sensitive and more prone to tearing than usual. I shall give him a potion of which he has to take one spoon each six hours for the coming two days. Afterwards, he'll be all healed up. If there are any complications, please return immediately."

"Understood," the man spoke. "I can take him with me now?"

"Yes. I am afraid his clothes were completely ruined though, but you can borrow some of the Hospital."

"No need," Marvolo spoke, removing his cloak. He approached the bed and draped it carefully around Harry's front, after which he untied the Hospital gown and removed it before wrapping the cloak fully around the other. The teen couldn't help but briefly inhale the scent, earning him two amused looks. He blushed slightly, keeping the cloak in place while trying to not let it drag over the floor too much.

"You're too damn tall," he commented as he failed. Marvolo merely smirked and picked him up, under Harry's loud protest of not being a damsel in distress.

"Not** anymore** you mean," the man answered, ignoring the death glare Harry threw at him. "What do we owe St Mungo's?" he asked Grace.

"Three galleons and five sickles. Freedom of magic would also be nice," she said, smiling.

"We're working on the last thing," Harry laughed. "Can I transfer the money from my vault to the hospital somehow? I don't have money with me."

"As you are underage, your legal guardians will receive a bill…" Grace said, looking at Marvolo.

"Oh great," Harry groaned. "The Dursleys shall be sooo pleased. Somehow I'm glad they can't send Howlers. I can already imagine Uncle Vernon shouting at me: 'Why didn't you just die instead of wasting our precious money?'" he bitterly said, mocking his uncle. Grace gave him a shocked look.

"Would the hospital allow me to pay instead?" Marvolo quickly threw in.

"I… suppose. Yes, although you will have to fill in a form for that."

"Then I shall do so."

The Healer nodded and hurried away, leaving them alone for a while. There was not much to say however, and Harry merely clung to Marvolo, brooding about the Dursleys as he rested his chin on his lover's shoulder. He smiled slightly as he felt the man swaying a bit, and his eyes drooped despite having slept for a long time already. In his half-sleep, time went far quicker than it should have, for it seemed only seconds later that Healer Grace returned with parchment and a self-inking quill. Harry shivered slightly, being reminded of Umbridge's bloodquills, even though he knew this one was harmless.

Marvolo put him down again and Harry sat on the edge of the bed as the man filled in the papers. Harry curiously looked at the questions, hoping his love wouldn't have to fill in details too personal, but it was merely information about his Gringotts account. Marvolo hesitated on the part 'relationship with the patient' for a moment though, and Harry realised that admitting the depth of their relationship would be a great disadvantage were it to become known, even with Dumbledore gone.

"Are these completely confidential?" Marvolo asked Grace, who did not seem surprised at the question.

"They should be. If you want, I can personally make sure that these don't… get lost I the system. They're bound to cause some commotion in the administration department when seeing your and Mr Potter's names on it."

"That would be appreciated," the man answered, before firmly putting 'fiancé of the patient' in black and white and signing it at the bottom. It was a different one as he used when signing Death Eater reports, and Harry wondered for a moment if it was made up on the spot, but it appeared to be written too fast and smoothly for that. He saw 'Marvolo', and thought to recognise an R, C and S written through it, uncertain as to what they stood for. R for Riddle, probably, but the rest? Marvolo handed Grace the forms, who quickly looked them over, her eyes widening minimally as they rested somewhere at the bottom."Remember that none of this information should go beyond the walls of this Hospital," Marvolo sharply reminded her, and she nodded faintly. "And the same goes for anything said in this room. Please remind Healer Brent."

"Of course. I understand… completely." Grace said, her previous air of confidence and professionalism returning. "Everything shall remain confidential. Excuse me now, I am expected at another patient in a few minutes."

"Thank you for healing me," Harry told her, and she smiled.

"You're very welcome dearie." And with that, she was gone. Marvolo supported him as he stood and once more picked him up. This time Harry did not protest, knowing that he would most likely stumble over the long cloak. He did not know what floor they were on, and he didn't fancy tripping down a flight of stairs.

As it turned out, they had been on the first floor, most likely rushed to the first room available, completely ignoring the actual layout and purpose of the different departments. Marvolo surely must have caused a ruckus…

* * *

"Dumbledore is dead… Mad-eye is dead, Trelawney, Sprout, Mundungus… Arthur and Molly have gone missing, Sirius is hardly ever here and I heard Severus turned on the Order after all last battle and aided Harry…" Tonks spoke, her saucer rattling as her teacup slipped a bit too much to the side when she tried to put it down. Brown, hot liquid spilled on her desk and she hissed as it hit her fingers as well. Kingsley, with whom she shared the office, stared at the wall, which had still not been undone from the 'wanted' posters of Sirius and the locations he'd been 'spotted' by them, the false trail they had set up to cover for the man.

They were alone today, Scrimgeour having gone out to work on his campaign and several other Aurors having been set on catching a bunch of idiots who had drunkenly trashed a Muggle museum, animating several objects and setting them loose on the unsuspecting Muggles. Kingsley hummed thoughtfully before speaking up. "And are you glad for that?" he asked, making Tonks look up, her eyes defensive all of a sudden.

"What makes you say that?"

"You haven't agreed with anything Dumbledore said the past… months. Ever since the Dark Lord revealed his goals, in fact. You even fought with Mad-eye a couple of times because of it."

Silence fell over the office. There was nothing to say, she had no defence. "Perhaps I think the Order might have strayed," she finally replied. "I signed up because I'd heard of what they did for the people after the first war. But what I saw here did not match with that. Good ideas were thrown overboard just because Dumbledore hated the man who uttered those ideas."

"And so you became the new leak in the Order?"

"Since how long have you known?" she asked, not even trying to hide it anymore.

"A while," Kingsley replied. "You may be good at camouflaging your body, but your mind and opinions were rather… open."

"And what will you do?" she asked, oddly calm as she put some more sugar in her tea and watched it as she whirled it around with her spoon.

"There was a reason why I stepped down from the elections, Tonks," Kingsley replied, his voice showing a seldom hint of humour. "I agreed with Dumbledore as little as you did. Secrecy has had its time. I've thought long and hard on that point, accounting for all factors, and concluded that we really would all benefit. That still does not mean that I like Voldemort or all his ideals…"

"Me neither, but between him and Dumbledore…"

"That's why I chose for neither. I'll support Sirius. He seems to have a good mixture of both sides."

Tonks looked up in surprise. "I had not thought of that… but isn't choosing him the same as Voldemort?"

"How so?" Kingsley asked, curious. "He said he wouldn't be influenced, and even if he would be, wouldn't that have been from the Light side?"

The woman hesitated, before deciding that it wouldn't hurt. "He's lived in the Dark Lord's manor prior to the elections. Not for Voldemort, of course, I even heard that he openly defied the man, but Harry seems to have gotten through to him. And Harry is firmly loyal to the Dark Lord so in a sense I imagine Sirius' opinions will be influenced anyways, even if he doesn't want that."

"You're rather informed," Kingsley said. "I'm not sure if I like that I stepped down now… I do hope that Sirius will keep his promise of not being influenced and only taking advice, not succumbing to threats or bribery."

"So do I… from what I've heard, I think he will. The Dark Lord didn't seem to be happy with Sirius' speech."

"I can image," the man dryly spoke. "Voldemort isn't a man used to defiance." His fingertips drummed on the wooden surface. "So, what to do now? The Order seems done for. No-one really knew what Dumbledore wanted except for fighting Voldemort. Even Minerva didn't seem too keen on following his methods last time. None of the old bunch seems to want that… only some hot-headed new members."

"Of which a lot died," Tonks reminded him. "And they weren't the only ones. You were rather lucky too, hm?"

Kingsley grimaced, glancing at his artificial, wooden legs. Both had been cut off and only an emergency Portkey and quick treatment had saved him. Re-growing complete body parts was beyond Madame Pomfrey's abilities however, and he would never be able to walk without crutches again. It was also the reason why he was in office now, forever confined to paperwork. "What you call lucky," he replied. "But I'm not dead, no."

"And what you do now will be your own decision. I made mine some time ago and will await orders from the Dark Lord now. I'm practically a Death Eater, although not marked to not reveal myself to the Order. I think he forgot that I'm a metamorphmagus when he decided that, but you don't hear me complaining about not being branded."

The man nodded slowly, and Tonks was very glad for his reaction. If he would have told the Order… That chance still existed though. She could not be sure that he wasn't playing her, but she was inclined to believe his sincerity. After working together for as long as they had, she was fairly confident about her ability to read him. She hoped her confidence was not misplaced.

* * *

I hope you all liked the story!  
Please don't hate me for killing off Rodolphus and Rabastan.. It's war, and it's not really realistic if everyone Harry cares for survives and only minor characters get killed...

Read and Review!  
xx GeMerope


	43. Part II Chapter XVIII

Visitor 43

I'm sorry to say that this will be the last fast-updated chapter in some time. I will leave for Japan in a few days and will only arrive at my apatment-and thus have internet access- around the 10th of September. I won't have time to write before that either... I'll try to write as much as I can when I'm there but I'll probably have to socialise quite a lot mroe than I'm used to so don't expect weekly updates anymore... I'll try to stick to once every couple of weeks.

Thank you all for your support and reviews!

Enjoy

* * *

It was the first time Harry visited this room in the house, and he felt a bit apprehensive when he entered through the heavy doors of black wood into the impressive chamber. It was larger than he'd thought, perhaps magically enlarged every time it was necessary to add new pieces of wall. He had never had a need to come here before, in the far back of the house, and his eyes flicked over the grey slates of stone the walls were made of, silver letters covering them.

A slight cough was immediately echoed back to him, but he ignored it, softly sliding his fingers over the many, many names engraved in the stone, magically preserved to prevent erosion. The stone made a soft hissing sound when he traced it with his fingers as he walked further into the back, towards the newest names that had been added. At last, he stood still, face crestfallen as his eyes roamed over the stone.

_Rodolphus Lestrange, Pureblood, Died with honour at the 26__th__ of January in the Battle of France._

_Rabastan Lestrange, Pureblood, Died with honour at the 26__th__ of January in the Battle of France._

_Gregory Crabbe, Pureblood, Died with honour at the 26__th__ of January in the Battle of France._

The list went on and on… every Inner Circle member and Second circle member who had given their lives yesterday were here, and Harry frowned when seeing that their blood status appeared to be more important to list than their age or middle names. Nott was on here as well, together with Rookwood and the other Carrow Twin, forever separated in death on two separate pieces of wall, unlike the Lestrange brothers, as they had died on different dates.

Marvolo had told him this room was keyed to the Dark Mark, and as soon as a member died, their name and blood status was placed on here, after which the House-elves would make sure the additional details were added. Harry sighed in relief when not finding Weasley on here, or Malfoy. Many others seemed to have been spared as well, although his stomach clenched when finding both Laveena and Alain on there, two of the Ef's. He hadn't expected any of the elite fighters to go down. After some time, he also found Dyanira's name, and wondered how Devaki would cope with her twin sister having been killed. It would also mean that Marvolo would not have a majority anymore in the Ef's, unless some of the others had fought with the other side and died.

Shivering lightly, he walked back to the doors, itching to leave the Memorial Room behind him. He wandered aimlessly through corridors and rooms, avoiding the usual paths for once so her could think for a longer time, and wouldn't have to speak to anyone. Finally arriving in his room, he flung himself down on the bed, his body still needing more rest than he'd thought. Remembering his medicine, he groped for the bottle on his nightstand and sat up, carefully measuring a spoonful of it and swallowing the awful-tasting, bright yellow liquid. He hadn't dared to look at the label to see the list of ingredients…

He looked up in surprise as two snakes slithered in, and he smiled, not having seen them around for quite some time.~Arzòn, Nagini,~ he hissed, greeting them. ~Pleasant surprise seeing you here.~

~Young Master~ Nagini hissed back, heaving her body in the air before sliding down on the bed and over his lap. ~Have you been taking good care of my human?~

Harry got an amused smile on his face like always when Nagini casually reminded him or Marvolo that she saw Marvolo as nothing but her pet. He stroked her scales while Nagini's brother also joined them, nudging Harry's side. ~Of course I have. And he took good care of me,~ he answered her.

~I'm glad to hear that, Amigo~ Arzòn hissed, pleased. ~We were a bit worried, there has been no mating smell in the nest for a long time.~ Harry spluttered a bit, growing flaming red. Had the snake just said that they could smell it whenever he and Marvolo… Embarrassed, he kept silent, just giving a noncommittal hum. ~Are the both of you alright in that regard? It hasn't led to hatchlings yet so… have you given up?~ the snake prodded on, completely oblivious to Harry's mood.

~They're both male, you idiot,~ Nagini answered for him. ~Two males can't get eggs.~

~Then why did they try?~

Harry groaned, silently saying a prayer to be released from this conversation. He was too tired to move though, and just let himself fall backwards. ~Because it feels nice Arzòn,~ he at long last answered. ~but we've both been too busy the past weeks~

~But you're not busy now are you?~

He put his hands over his face, snickering at the absurdity of their two pet snakes inquiring about his and Marvolo's **mating behaviour**.

~He has to heal for now. He got injured yesterday and has only been released from the healing place this morning. Do give him a rest, darlings.~

"Hey Marvolo," Harry smiled.

"Sorry for their nosiness. I hadn't thought they would confront you with this too."

"You want to tell me they've pestered you about this as well?"

"Last week, after which I finally satisfied Nagini by pressing you up against a wall."

"For ten minutes," Harry pouted. "And here I thought it was a coincidence. Did you really have to be pestered into having sex with me?"

"I hopefully won't have to anymore… Now get back to healing so I can pound into you once more."

"You don't have to be so crude about it," Harry huffed. He shrugged Nagini off, who hissed in displeasure, but allowed him to place the covers over himself. "And I'm working on it, I just took my medicine, so you won't have to bug me about that anymore. Something completely different though… would you care to update me? As I've been out for a day and haven't really spoken to anyone yet, I haven't yet had the chance to be informed about what's all going on. I went to the Memorial Room earlier to take a moment of silence for the dead, and to find out who actually did fall and who are still with us."

Marvolo had moved to the bedside and sat down while Harry spoke, the snakes instantly going over to him as Harry wouldn't pet them anymore. "Of course love," he spoke as he scratched Nagini's snout. "You know of Dumbledore already, of course… But his death wasn't even the most shocking point of the battle. Just before you blew yourself up, Charlie Weasley appeared with an army of around eighty dragons. It seems we've finally found the culprit who 'stole' the dragons. They all went with him willingly, and I spoke to him briefly. He is completely on our side and was relieved to find that some of his brothers are here too, and that his father is living with the Twins. Of course, his mother's death was a shock to him…"

"You killed her already then?" He didn't quite know how to feel about that piece of news.

"There was no use in keeping her alive. She didn't really know anything of value either, which was rather disappointing. However, the Order is as good as done for… The only old members who remain possible threats now are McGonagall, Flitwick, Bill Weasley, Kingsley Shacklebolt and, though I loath to admit him as a threat, Hagrid. The rest are either dead or at our side. Of course, they have new members… roughly seventy members remain after last battle. That is still quite a force, but they have lost their leader, and consist mainly of sixteen- to twenty-years-old who wanted a taste of battle. Some are still students at Hogwarts and were pardoned from last lessons to join the fight, others are recent-graduates who still supported Dumbledore. An army of, excuse me for saying it, children, won't be much of a threat."

"I'm younger than they are, and I killed quite a few. The Twins as well… and then there's Ron, and Malfoy."

"You only after you had thorough training, and look what happened. The Twins are a rare, absolutely brilliant bunch. Both Ronald and Draco were refused from participating in the battle because it was too risky. Lucius and Narcissa refused to let their son go out to battle, and I believe Arthur made sure Ronald wouldn't go. I agreed with both those decisions."

"You let them fight last time."

"Last time was a surprise attack, and far less risky, as we knew our forces overpowered them greatly. Even as they sent for reinforcements, we had the upper hand at all times. In France, we had a bad position to start with, and we might have lost if the dragons would not have made an appearance. It is not a certainty; there was still a chance at victory, but at far higher costs than the case was now. Why do you think I wanted to place you under better protection spells?"

"I'm sorry… really. I just hope that the Death Eaters won't lose all the respect they've grown to have for me when I don't participate anymore."

"I've been thinking, and you could perhaps look through my eyes? That way, you could still see what is happening and call for necessary backup or make emergency Portkeys and send those out?"

"That's an idea."

"You could also help Slughorn with his potions."

"Urgh. Less of a great idea," Harry groaned. "Preferably not, but I will if it's really necessary. "Any other updates apart from the dragons? I'm glad to hear that they've been found, and found to be supporters of the Dark on top of that."

"Well, the armies of other countries got a great blow, and if there is to be a next battle, it will take them weeks to recover. That won't mean there won't be anymore battles, of course. I plan to raid some of their Ministries myself now they are weak, and the other continents might find themselves forced into battle as well."

"Do we have enough people left for raids now?" Harry doubtfully asked.

"Yes. Our army got thinned, it's true, but enough remain. I also received several letters from creatures in other countries now, that heard of the result of the battle and want to join us. We can expect more werewolves and centaurs fighting alongside us next time, and if the location is planned long enough beforehand, more Giants will be able to join as well. Meanwhile, I shall wait to see if any other witches and wizards of the opposing countries, or of the countries who aid us, will come over. Some already fought in France, but I expect more now we were victorious. People are always drawn to the side of the strongest, after all, as the consequences of being on the wrong side usually has disastrous effects when a war is fully over. Even if their Governments oppose us, individuals might be swayed. Also, as we have the dragons on our side, many people will flock to us, from Asia mostly, where dragons are a sign of great luck and prosperity. None there would want to fight against an army of dragons."

"I wonder if more dragons will join too," Harry pondered. "They were only reported missing in Europe, so I imagine Charlie will only have freed those in the areas near him, and on the way to Britain. Have you heard anything from the Goblins?"

"I sent a letter out to Miss Granger this morning, and apparently I had been just a tad too impatient, for my owl returned to me twenty minutes ago with finally something I can call good progress and a decent report on it."

"Owl… you don't mean that owl that more resembles a demon from hell do you?"

"The exact one. What do you have against Desecratus?"

"He's bloody evil. You sent that to poor Hermione? The report you got didn't happen to be stained with blood did it?"

"Not at all," Marvolo answered, amused. "And he looks more evil than he actually is. He's very well-trained Harry."

"Did you raise him along with your Basilisk?" Harry muttered, earning him an even more amused look. "So, what did she have to say?"

"She finally established a network of people the Goblins believe. Many of my Death Eaters are or were among those. Sadly two died in the last battle, but enough remain. Also, I am thinking of honouring them with a visit myself. If you're thinking of having the Goblins fight for us though, then I have to disappoint you. I wish for them to show their support, but if I were to send them out into battle they would only accuse me of using them. No, I shall leave them further alone, although I hope that an alliance with them will make future dealings with them easier. A complete new banking system will have to be thought of if Muggles are to share our world. There is not enough gold and silver to make Galleons and Sickles the going currency for millions of people. I do not know if Goblins will be interested in dealing with Muggle money, however. They have done so out of necessity on a small scale for Muggleborns, but find it a worthless business as paper does not have worth in their eyes, and they are always reluctant to part with their gold in exchange, though they have to by Wizarding law."

"Have you already thought of something?"

"Perhaps make the bank smaller… a lot of Wizarding shops could go out into the Muggle world, leaving Diagon Alley a place for shops that sell items that solely wizards and witches have use for. Muggles have no benefits in wand shops or brooms, as they can't use them, or potion supplies as potions often require some spellwork during its creation as well. For a non-magical user, some potion supplies can be very harmful. To make sure these items are kept in the hands of wizards, a dual monetary system can be set up, with Wizarding money reserved only for those items, the gold maintained by Gringotts, and Muggle money for everything else. That will require magicians to open bank accounts at Muggle banks, of course. And those banks and Gringotts can work together for currency exchange."

"Muggle banks are often very competitive though… Perhaps throw the complete Muggle banking system down the drain and create a system of two banks? One being Gringotts and one for 'normal' currency? That would also prevent the banks from going bankrupt. Gringotts never had problems with that as it was the only one of its kind, so the same might go for the other one."

"I'll note that idea down, but I have to be careful with it as it will make both banks a monopoly. The Goblins only care for their money, but with a human bank it might make for unfair power plays and corruption. Furthermore, I doubt that the Muggle banks will be happy to hear about that idea. Many will have to close down. It doesn't make sense to have five offices of a bank in a small city, as is now usually the case because there are so many. It will lead to the rise of unemployment rates."

"It seems as if, the more magic makes life easier, the fewer jobs are needed…" Harry said. "In that regard, Muggles might not be very happy with it. They will still have to pay for whatever they need, whether it's been created by magic or otherwise. If they don't have jobs… and those will disappear in a lot of sectors for them, from politics to energy companies and banks."

"There will also be some new positions available. Of course in information centres, but also in new primary schools, in additional schools for Muggles who want to follow the theory of magical courses and in centres where people can go to if they find it hard to deal with magic suddenly all around. I want not only wizards working there, but also Muggles. And then there are Hospitals, where we will need Muggles who have been trained at St Mungo's to recognise and administer potions, as we can't miss all Healers there… It would be more effective in some regards to have magicians installed everywhere, but we are with too few to realise that. That's where Muggles come in, and thus also new placements for Muggles."

Harry nodded silently. "There's so much to think about when re-starting a complete nation," he joked. "To think we're not even half-way there…"

"Well, certainly a third," Marvolo smirked. "The Order is practically done for and the Ministry will soon be at our feet. I am faced with a difficult decision however… To either approach the Muggle Government after Sirius has been chosen for Minister, or to first see out the war with the other nations. Any thoughts on that?"

"I am hardly a good strategist," Harry said, not feeling very confident. "I even always lose in chess. If your pride will allow it, you might go talk to Ron."

"Weasley?" Marvolo asked, surprised. "How so?"

"He's a master in strategy. Both on the chessboard and out of it.

* * *

"My Lord," the nervous boy said as ruby eyes pinned him down. He had been invited per owl, which had arrived yesterday afternoon, and he now shuffled into the Dark Lord's study. Harry was nowhere in sight to his disappointment. Charlie had told him about what had happened on the battlefield, but he didn't know what had happened after Voldemort had disappeared with his friend to take him to a Healer after Fawkes' rudimentary treatment.

"Weasley, come in. Leave the door open."

He was glad for the last request. Closing the door behind him would have given him a sense of finality that he didn't like in the slightest. He wracked his brain about whether or not he had done anything wrong that he could have been called for. The last time he'd seen the Dark Lord was when he'd briefly stayed here before moving in with his brothers. With leaden feet he approached the desk and sank to his knees, glad of that he was expected to bow his head as it would hide his nervous expression.

"Don't look as if you are expecting a green flash any moment, boy," his Lord snapped, and he paled, quickly looking up and shrinking a bit. He'd never gotten used to the Dark Lord, even more so now he looked… less than human, certainly less than in the two days he'd stayed at the manor. And even then he'd avoided the man as much as he possibly could… Harry had to be genuinely insane…

"What did you call me for, My Lord?" he finally asked as the silence went on, the scrutinising gaze directed at him.

"You were… recommended to me," Voldemort answered, and for a moment Ron was confused. Since when did he, Ronald Weasley, youngest son of a whole clan, have treats that would recommend him to someone like the Dark Lord? "I heard you are a good strategist…" Even the tone it was said in was doubtful, as if Voldemort didn't really believe it himself and very much doubted his decision of inviting Ron here, but at once, the teen didn't feel nervous anymore. Strategy… yes, he most certainly** was** good at that…

Insight, knowledge that didn't come from books and wasn't based on facts, was one of his fortes, one that he had hardly been able to use at Hogwarts, making him look more stupid than he knew he really was. Excitement fluttered in his stomach at the prospect of using it, of dealing with situations at hand, analysing it and deciding upon the best course of action… Not feeling as if he had to be modest about it he said: "I am," and he looked up, knowing his expression was controlled now, relaxed. He was itching already to tackle problems.

The calculating look with which the Dark Lord regarded him didn't bother him anymore. He knew the man didn't like him and thought Hermione, for example, far more useful, but he knew that was about to change. He was surprised, however, when Voldemort stood up. "Follow me," he simply said, and Ron stumbled to his feet, half-running to catch up with his Lord, who was walking with fast, determined strides. They went down a flight of stairs and finally stopped at a beautifully decorated door, its polished wood gleaming in the light as it was pulled open.

The room surprised him, or rather, the interior did. A giant drawing table, several types of Wizard games and other equipment stood in the light room. He had not come across this one during his stay, and it definitely surprised him that Voldemort had a room for art and other past-time activities. It was empty apart from the two of them, and he was gestured towards a couch, the table in front of it having a very familiar chequered pattern. Ron smiled with excitement as chess pieces rose upwards, coming out of the table, although he was surprised to find that they weren't black or white, or even brown and white. Instead, one set was grey, some pieces darker than others, and the other side consisted of whitish pieces, though most had only a white front.

"Is there any significance to the colours?" he hesitantly asked.

"They change according to the situation," Voldemort answered, hardly an answer at all. On closer inspection, he noticed with unease the queen on his side, the white-and-black mix, had strange shapes around where the eyes would be if the piece would have had a face. Another thing that bothered him was the network of cracks that covered some of the pieces on both sides, including his own king.

"How come they're not moving?" he asked. The sinister aura the pieces gave off obviously screaming dark magic, but the pieces themselves were lifeless.

"I prefer it when they don't talk back to me," came the reply, and Ron shivered lightly, getting the feeling that that was a hidden warning. "Shall we begin?"

Figuring that the Dark Lord had no white in his side at all, Ron started off with one of his preferred moves if he was confronted with an opponent whom he knew was going to be difficult to fight against: the knight, the only piece of the back row that was allowed to jump over the first. He loved to use the knights as much as possible. They were the most unpredictable and useful, and he would never forget the time he had played knight in his first year on the giant chessboard.

Voldemort did not retaliate in kind, instead moving a pawn two steps forward, which would enable him to free one of his towers and give the opportunity for the only backward move the pawn was allowed to take if another piece would end up diagonally behind it. Ron did the same, but with the pawn in front of his left bishop. He planned on leaving both towers as they were for as long as possible as they were the only pieces the king was allowed to be switched with once, provided that the tower hadn't moved yet beforehand.

He kept his usual, useful strategy in mind, to defend his pawns for as long as possible instead of sacrificing them early in the game to create space like most people did to give the stronger pieces more room, instead trying to get them all the way across the board so they could grow out to be additional queens, and be far more useful than any other piece, except maybe his knights and the queen he already had.

As the game went on, Ron was having a harder and harder time to stick to that strategy, as Voldemort seemed to have expected it and targeted the pieces he valued most first. One thing he had noticed though, was that Voldemort was not only protecting his king to the maximum, but also the queen, refusing to put it out on the board, which Ron thought rather strange. Of course, it was good to not put one of the most useful pieces in jeopardy at first, but it wasn't useful if standing still for the whole game either. Only when he looked at it carefully and saw it had a small, lightning-bolt shaped crack on its 'face', did Ron realise that Voldemort may be doing it unconsciously.

Well, while Ron liked his friend a lot, if Voldemort was giving away his handicap, then Ron would fully exploit it. He knew it would cost him one of his knights, and he wasn't very happy with that, but neither of them had enough pawns left to get many queens out of it. If he could take out the only one Voldemort had that would leave him with a great advantage. In a rather insightful move, he was able to take one of the Dark Lord's bishops, and could slay the queen with his next move, which could move nowhere as the defence the man had built up around it was so strong that it left the piece with no way to move. The only way it could go was forwards, but it would land in another square it could be slain at no matter how far it would go.

A nervous movement at the corner of Voldemort's mouth was the first thing to break his poker-face, and Ron knew that he had made a good move. The next minute was a long one, and with terrible slowness, Voldemort moved one of his knights at the side of the field, completely foregoing the queen as there was nothing to be done instead of a futile attempt to save her one more turn. With a feeling of irrational victory, Ron took the queen, and less than a second later, his knight had been mercilessly slain by the king, a tad harsher than had really been necessary. A chill went up his spine as he got the strange feeling of bloodlust rising from the dark grey king, and he gulped, trying to tell himself it was all imagination.

His victory didn't last long. While only able to take one step at a time, Voldemort's King seemed to slaughter his entire army single-handedly, and his defences broke in no time at all. On the first 'check', he had to use the move with the tower already, and while it went better after that and he was able to build up some walls again, even getting a 'check' on Voldemort's king twice, he had to admit that he would be defeated pretty soon.

At long, long last, the final word of the game broke the silence.

"Checkmate," the man said, but while Ron had often found it said with gloating when one uttered that word, it was said with a neutral, almost thoughtful voice. Ron sighed and flicked over his king, which had, ironically, been defeated by a knight. Voldemort leaned back, the chessboard sinking into the table again, and Ron did not dare ask what the man was thinking as fingertips were placed against each other and red eyes stared at the ceiling.

"That was one of the most entertaining and challenging games I've had in a long while, Mr Weasley," he finally heard, and Ron tried not to gape at the compliment.

"For real? I… I mean, thank you… My Lord."

"I wonder what would have happened if I **had** had a magical chessboard…"Voldemort mused. "Most likely, my queen would have nagged me long enough until I let it free of its constrains, after which it would have blown up your king as if we'd been playing exploding snap." The humour in the voice was unmistakable, though Ron had a hard time admitting it was there.

"I heard about that from Charlie," he finally answered, a slight smile playing at his lips, hoping he wouldn't be going too far. "Is Harry alright now though?"

"He's upstairs, resting, but yes, he's recovered completely," Voldemort said in a pleased tone, although Ron didn't know whether he was pleased over Ron getting the reference or over Harry's recovery.

"Was he the one who… recommended me?"

"Of course. I think I misjudged you the first few times we met. I must say that I now understand why I had such a hard time winning wars before… I didn't have Weasleys," Voldemort said, a new, curious glint in his eyes as he regarded Ron.

"I must say that my brothers seem to have been far more useful as of yet," he surly said. It was true though. While Ron had left Hogwarts to be of use, he had mainly found himself with minor missions and work in the shop to do, while the Twins were the actual geniuses of the Dark now… And then there was Charlie, who had apparently guaranteed victory for their side the day before yesterday.

"I hope that will change then," the man said, on a much gentler tone than Ron had ever heard him use before. "Come, let us return to my study. I have some things I want to show you. In the meantime, I want you to think over what you'd think a better course of action: First fight our war with the magical nations, or contact the Muggle Government and press already if Black manages to win the elections?"

"When exactly will the elections be held?" Ron asked, frowning. "Timing would be of vital importance…" They started their way back to the study, much slower than when they had come here.

"The date has been set for the 8th of February, a month after the first speeches. As there aren't many candidates, campaigns will not have to last longer than that, and we're in the middle of a war and in need for a leader… a legal leader."

"That's only eleven more days…" Ron mused. "I assume you will not go out into battle before that to save votes?"

"Naturally."

"I think taking the risk would be good. I expect the war with the other nations to last for a while still, and I heard their armies suffered greater damage than ours. By contacting the Muggles already, they will be forced to act sooner than they'll be ready for."

"On the other hand, their combined forces are still quite strong, and if we are to lose battles while already negotiating with the Muggles, it could make us lose credibility in their eyes. That we are fighting at all will probably affect how open they will be towards us. And then there are the armies of other countries to consider, countries who didn't fight us yet." Voldemort threw in. Ron mentally groaned, seeing the dilemma.

"But waiting would give them all the time they need and want," he said, hesitating. "If we are to control the time of actions to some degree, we shall have one advantage over them already. And depending on how fast the Muggles will be informed, we might get help from their side too. There are major benefits in open magic, after all. Also, the other countries can hardly Obliviate everyone once the news spreads. Irreparable damage and all that."

"Forcing them to accept our views simply because we've already put them into practise?" Voldemort asked pensively. "I must admit that it would severely pull their spirits down when they notice that what they're fighting against has already happened and can't be turned back. Giving people knowledge is not someone that can be taken back or stopped once we get the ball rolling, so to speak."

"Exactly," Ron said, relieved that the other seemed to honestly take his words into account.

"On the other hand, they could openly attack not only us, but declare war on the whole of Britain, magician and Muggle alike. I know that doesn't seem logical… It won't do anything for their current goal, but they could become revengeful and just decide to slaughter everyone who did what they didn't want in the first place."

"That would not solve their problems at all!" Ron exclaimed.

"I know, but people aren't logical. Could we take** that** risk?"

"If that's what might happen, it also might happen after we defeat the other nations… Rebellion groups who don't agree going on killing sprees. It won't change that," he threw back.

"It will give them both less means and people to do so," the Dark Lord commented. "And we would have legitimate power at our side."

Ron released a frustrated huff. Somehow he was sure that his opinion was a right one, but against everything he said, there was something else… Suddenly, he got an idea and switched tactics altogether. "But what if we would** not** do it?" he asked, challenging. "That war might last years and years, and we only have a limited number of people if Muggles won't fight alongside us. I heard that the countries who agree with us are passive about the matter, and they won't strengthen our armies. We might be short on people in a couple more battles. Even with the creature armies backing us up, we only have limited resources. And if we finally would win after years of fighting… what then? How many people will be left to run a mixed society? Would we first need generations of hiding again to re-populate before there are enough of us to guide a magical and Muggle society? If that happens now already, we know for certain that we are with enough to withstand any trouble the Muggles will give us."

They had arrived at the study somewhere in the middle of his explanation, and he sat on one of the two chairs at the desk now, one of his feet on the edge of the chair and his head propped up on his knee as he looked at Voldemort.

"That is a… sensible explanation." The other finally commented. "There are many pros and cons, mainly cons, to both options, but when you look at it from the perspective of time and the resources which will undoubtedly dwindle over that time-span… then yes, you have convinced me."

Ron leaned back in the chair, trying to not openly show his pride at the compliment. While before, he had seen the man as nothing but intimidating, it was almost pleasant to have a discussion with him.

XxX

He regarded the Weasley boy with a contemplative look. He had to admit that for once, his judgement had to be revised in favour of someone, not something that happened often. He had seen Ronald as a nuisance before, lazy and unintelligent, but it seemed as if he had just been looking for the wrong kind of intelligence. It still made no sense to him how such a good strategist could have such a… disorganised mess as a mind, but perhaps that was precisely the reason for his insightful logic.

Of course, he himself had also deduced upon what the best course of action would be, and had come to the same conclusion as Ronald, but it was always good to have a fresh opinion, especially if he himself played the devil's advocate by defending the strategy he liked least. It pleased him that the boy had not let himself be deterred and had ended with the same conclusion as he'd initially had, but with a good substantiation of his statement.

The outcome of the test he had put up for Weasley had actually surprised him even more than the discussion that had followed after. Harry had told him the boy was good at chess, but he would never have guessed just how well Ronald could play. It had already started with his unusual, but obviously confident opening move, and the way he had exploited Marvolo's weakness, which he hadn't even noticed he had until the very last moment, was brilliant. Of course, the result of the play had not been unexpected. The only one who could sometimes outwit him in chess was the Vampire King, and their battles could last hours on end. A fifteen-year-old boy –or was he sixteen now?- hardly provided as much of a challenge. But again, he had to admit that the boy had played far, far better than expected.

He opened a drawer, taking out a map with a large number of coloured dots on it that Eyolf had given him through Sameer some time ago, and he handed it to Ronald. It had bugged him quite a long time, for the sole reason of that he could easily make out what all of the colours meant, except for the purple ones. The others had either marked Order headquarter locations, magical communities or the known location of Death Eaters, but the purple ones were a mystery to him. He had personally visited the sites it marked, only to discover nothing of value. And yet, Dumbledore must have had** some** reason to place them there. The only thing they had in common were that they were in civilised parts of the country, but that was all. They were magical, non-magical, village, city with or without magical creatures or plants… There had been dots in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, but also in non-descriptive Muggle villages, while other cities had no purple dot near them in miles. Even with his heightened senses after the completion of the last Horcrux, he had seen nothing that could connect all of the places.

One might think that he was denigrating himself by letting someone like Ronald have a look at it, but he didn't care. He might be looking for far too complex meanings, wanting to link even the colour of the dot to meanings he couldn't find. He explained his problem to the boy, who looked obviously surprised. After the boy's request to visit some of them, he merely pulled the memories of the places from his mind and put them in a bowl.

He nervously tapped the wood of the desk, his sensitive fingers feeling every irregularity in it, even when touching it for a hundredth of a second. He sensed change in the teen's body after he had been submerged into the bowl for a while. His aura, which had been very flowing and unbalanced as one tends to do when nervous or confused, had stabilised, the outer edges shimmering with bright colours, shaking slightly as if laughing. With narrowed eyes, he waited until Weasley retreated, and when he regarded the amused grin on the boy's face, he snapped: "Well?" Had the boy really found something of use that he, Lord Voldemort, had not been able to spot?

"It seems, My Lord, with all respect, that Dumbledore was just being his barmy old self," Ronald replied, his eyes shining with humour. "I think that he figured that, as he had a map with dots anyways, he might as well use it even more. Purple is his favourite colour you see, and the map must have looked empty to him without it."

"Just tell me what you found boy," he said, irritated now.

"Sweetshops," Ronald replied, a laugh escaping him. "Dumbledore was addicted to sweets. He once had a long, enthusiastic talk about one of his favourite Muggle sweet shops, and I saw it in one of these memories… I can't speak for the larger cities, as the spots were too large and covered too much, but especially in the smaller villages I noticed that there were shops that sold all his favourites."

Marvolo groaned, putting his head in his hands. No wonder he hadn't found anything out of the ordinary. "Even in death he drives me absolutely **insane**," he complained.

* * *

Yes, finally, Ron comes into view.. he was Dark before but.. I finally have him where I want him...  
Also, I'm sure a lot of you are glad to notice that the Twins survived the battle hmm?  
Also, I think the chess scene is my absolute favourite. I haven't enjoyed writing a scene that much in a long time. I'm crap at chess myself, but I do know all moves and tricks, and writing about a theoretical match is FUN.

Read and Review!  
xx


	44. Part II Chapter XIX

Visitor 44

Hello all! Well, I finally got around to writing more... I hope that the next chapter won't take this long to write. Also, I realised last night, when I looked over my somewhat-planned-out timeline of this story that the end of Part II is approaching! There's only a few chapters left before Part III will start! -and honestly i have absolutely no idea how long that one will be-  
I'm currently in Japan, my school started yesterday, so hopefully I'll fall into a proper rhythm soon. I've been quite busy as of lately to make sure all paperwork was in order, as even now I'm here there doesn't seem to be an end to it... Add to that the fact that i have to get up at 4am to be able to speak to my girlfriend.. urgh, what is life. But I'll try to make time to write so I won't disappoint my lovely readers!

Enjoy

* * *

The newspapers had delivered the news of Dumbledore's demise before the teachers had done so, which was not very appreciated by student and parents alike. Hermione pretended to be as shocked as everyone, having heard the news before from her Lord, but she simply didn't have enough time to spend too much of a thought at it. Next week was a Hogsmeade weekend, and she sincerely hoped that they would let the students go, as a second letter of her Lord had arrived yesterday, an 'invitation' to escape the castle coming Saturday to accompany him to Gringotts.

The order had surprised her greatly; she had not expected him to have time to get involved in the issue personally with everything that had to fill the man's agenda. Nonetheless, she was very glad for it. That would hopefully be the last convincement the Goblins needed about whether she had spoken the truth or not. And perhaps it would get Rita off her high horse too…

Speaking of Rita, she had seen quite little of the woman. At first she had constantly hung around, but she seemed to find it bothersome to spend so much time in her bug form, and she could hardly ever change because of others being around. Instead, Rita was buzzing around Britain, establishing contacts and stirring things up wherever she came. Hermione had to admit that she… missed the woman. For all their fighting, Rita had provided a challenge to her intelligence, a sharp tongue that could withstand her own wit. If Hermione wouldn't have had been so busy all of the time, life might have seemed incredibly dull without the other being around all of a sudden.

Now Hermione had sent in her last report, she suddenly found herself with a few days in which there was little to do but homework and lessons, and when she finally found that she had finished all of that, there was suddenly completely nothing to do. The feeling was so foreign after weeks of non-stop working that it disoriented her. The first thing she had done, of course, was sleep, but ever since this morning there had been a feeling of restlessness, the result of a mind that suddenly had no challenge anymore after such a long time of continuous effort.

Hermione got up abruptly, not able to sit still any longer. It was past curfew already, but she could be bothered no longer by such trivial rules. Besides, the teachers were far too busy trying to sort out the mess Dumbledore had left with his death to bother patrolling the halls now, and the Prefects who were on duty had taken to sitting in their common rooms to calm down the frightened children in ht years below them who couldn't sleep now the Hogwarts staff clearly wasn't capable of defending them. It would only be a matter or time before a new headmaster or mistress was appointed, but Dumbledore's death had made many finally aware of how real this war was.

She wondered when the first owls would arrive, bringing people the news of their parents who wanted them gone from Hogwarts, which was now not as safe as everyone had always believed. If the dark army would march against them, the staff wouldn't stand a chance. Hermione wasn't concerned however, she knew that Voldemort cared too much about Hogwarts to see it destroyed, and that he preferred to take it over from the inside instead over starting a war on these grounds.

She stalked through the dark hallways, having gotten used to them after being a prefect for half a year, and the portraits didn't bother her anymore as they couldn't know she wasn't on duty. Not knowing what she was searching for exactly, Hermione just let her feet carry her to where they would take her.

In no time, she ended up at the library, not very surprised when seeing where she was. She smiled at the familiar sight of the books that greeted her, the dusty tomes her best friends now Ron and Harry were not at Hogwarts anymore. Rita was also here sometimes but Hermione couldn't really count the woman as a friend…

Her fingers glided over the leather spines, not searching for anything in particular, but just liking the feeling of it beneath her finger tips. Suddenly she jerked up however, when hearing soft voices coming from somewhere in the heart of the library. She snuck closer, ducking her head and careful to not make any sort of noise.

"- is safe?" a faint voice asked, and she identified it as male despite how high it was.

"It's the middle of the night, of course it's safe here," another grumbled, also male.

The voice unmistakably belonged to professor Sameer. She narrowed her eyes, trying to see more in the darkness of the library, glad for the maze of books that hid her from view but annoyed at that she couldn't pinpoint where exactly the voices came from. She didn't want to turn a corner and suddenly run into them. She cursed herself for not being able yet to do nonverbal spells perfectly, or else she could have found out where they were by a point-me spell. Instead, she pressed her ear against a nearby bookcase to hear if it came from behind there or somewhere else.

"I'm not so sure," yet another man replied, and while Hermione had not heard him speak many times, the caretaker's gruff voice wasn't one someone forgot easily. She wondered as to what his real name was… She had heard Harry refer to him as Eyolf, but once she'd she'd seen him on the map and his name had been Arve Greyhunter, while Dumbledore had introduced him as Mr Senka, by which he was known amongst students. She would just assume the map was right… "My instincts are telling me that something is wrong…"

"Aren't you just being paranoid? Assassins are-"

She heard someone hiss to shut the other up, and silence fell over the library once more as she held her breath and hoped they could not hear the loud beating of her heart. "You fool," Greyhunter spoke, his voice so low that she had to strain her ears to hear him. "Don't speak of such things… now.. _**Homenum revelio**_!"

Hermione squeaked as a second later, someone stood behind her, holding her in a chokehold, lips at her ear telling her not to move. Instead, she elbowed backwards and slipped free as the man howled out in pain, only to be blocked by another who grabbed her forearms and twisted her around so she couldn't use her knees to do the same.

"Student out of bed?" the man with the soft, somewhat high voice said, and she suddenly recognised him as professor Ambrosius.

"Let her go, that's Granger… she's on our side and He has personally spoken to her before. She's a friend of Harry Potter," professor Sameer interrupted, and Hermione rubbed her wrists as she was released. "But that doesn't mean she should be out of bed, ten points from Gryffindor for sneaking about after curfew," the man continued, breaking off her weak 'thank you.'

"So, what's going on?" she asked. "And before you say it's none of my business, if it concerns the Dark, it concerns me." She folded her arms over her chest, glaring at the men. "Although I didn't know that you were dark professor," she told her new Herbology teacher, who gave her a smirk back. Fuck, she should really make up her mind about who she was going to fall for because damn was that smirk sexy. Hermione turned away, her cheeks stained with a blush before she let thoughts of Ron fill her mind, before thoughts of Rita suddenly pushed those away. She sighed heavily, unaware of the three men giving her confused looks.

"Right, Ms Granger… Dumbledore appointed me, but unbeknownst to him, I have always been an avid supporter of the Dark Lord. I was just careful to not show it and he was enthusiastic enough about my knowledge of magical flora to hire me without digging too deeply into my records. I believe that we are slowly starting to form a majority here in Hogwarts since the light teachers keep getting themselves killed off in battle," he remarked dryly. "It's a pity that the divination teacher became that damned centaur… one of the only centaurs who liked Dumbledore and his ideas. I honestly don't know if he got kicked in the head when he was still a foal but I suspect that might be the only thing that could have him believing Dumbledore's ideas were good."

Hermione giggled at that, a far too girlish giggle that had last left her lips when she'd had the hots for Krum. Well fuck life. She wasn't even sure about her own feelings for a certain reporter and now she was swooning at someone else? This was turning far too quickly in a teen drama to her taste. Perhaps she should just embrace the life of an old spinster and be happy with that. All of this was far too confusing.

"But we were talking business… We all received a message from the Dark Lord, stating what is to be done next and we were discussing it," professor Ambrosius spoke, on which Eyolf hissed.

"What did I tell you to not speak about such important things without silencing spells?"

"I thought you'd put them up the moment after you said that," Ambrosius replied, annoyed. The assassin cursed and withdrew a stubby wand from his pocket.

"If it wasn't for the incompetence of the people** around** me I wouldn't even have to carry this. In fact, I shouldn't carry it because the rest of the staff thinks I'm a squib!" he glared at the other two men. Ambrosius threw him an annoyed, yet slightly uncomfortable look, while Sameer seemed completely unfazed.

"I very much doubt the rest of the staff will have time to monitor you," the caramel-skinned man spoke calmly. "The headmaster just died, they have more on their minds."

"Is it clear who will be the next headmaster?" Hermione asked. "McGonagall or… "

"Most likely Minerva, yes, unless for some reason she were to refuse the position herself, which I doubt, or be killed in the next battle. Personally I hope she will die as Hogwarts will continue as before, with Dumbledore's ideas as long as she is still here. She was a devoted, if perhaps misguided follower of the Light after all. I'm not sure to what extent she knew of and agreed with Dumbledore's schemes but…"

"Who is with us of the staff now?" the girl asked.

"Us three, obviously, and Snape… Some were not in the Order and I suspect both Aurora… well I suppose you know her as professor Sinistra, I'll use their surnames. Sinistra and Babbling at least lean towards supporting the dark. Both of them keep to themselves during meetings and in the castle and have never participated in Dumbledore's slander of the dark, and even spoken up against him a few times. Perhaps Vector would not be against the dark either, but I she keeps to herself, her books and numbers a lot. I can't get a clear view of her. All in all, the only ones left who support Dumbledore's ideals are Flitwick, McGonagall, Hooch, Firenze, Hagrid, Burbage, Madame Pinch and Madame Pomfrey. Grubby-Plank too, maybe, but she's only a substitute for when Hagrid is unavailable. And then there's Binns but he doesn't care about anything but goblin and giant wars," he concluded.

"Actually Madame Pomfrey is kind of okay with the dark," Hermione shrugged. "She likes Harry. Ron and I kidnapped her a while back because he didn't want another healer. I think the Dark Lord is afraid of her. Professor Vector actually spoke out against the dark in class a few times, sadly. She admires the Dark Lord for his genius but is against his ideas. And for professor Burbage… she might be convinced when she sees that Muggles will actually benefit a lot from this too."

At least Eyolf did not seem convinced, but the other two watched her with thoughtful expressions. "Maybe," Sameer finally said, "And I'm glad for the information on the nurse and Vector. It helps give us a clearer view about our situation and where we stand. So, five dark for certain, six light, one neutral and three undecided?"

"Basically. I'll report it to the Dark Lord, although it may be information he is already aware of. Now, Granger, you had better hurry to bed again. There's nothing you can currently help us with," the assassin told her, his eyes narrowing. She decided that she did not like the man at all. She crossed her arms. "Oh, really? I do happen to know the Dark lord personally, and the task he gave me is nearly complete."

"After which you will receive the one you really wanted, with which you'll be quite busy enough," Eyolf retorted. She gaped at him before closing her mouth with a 'clack'. "I'm a trained spy, don't think I'm a fool."

"Why did you attack me?"

"I saw someone move, I hardly stopped to identify you before restraining you, that would have been wasting precious time. I would have let you go once I had…" Hermione wasn't convinced, she thought it far more likely that he would have forced her out of the library or killed her on the spot. "But that was not the issue we were talking of. You stick to your own missions and let us do ours."

Hermione looked at the other two men for silent support, and felt an unreasonable sense of betrayal when she only got two blank stares. "Fine," she snapped. Urgh, why were men such assholes… she turned around abruptly, not feeling like doing anything anymore, and snuck back to Gryffindor tower, nearly shrieking when she opened the drapes around her bed only to find someone already there. "Rita!" she hissed, half-angry, half-relieved.

Getting no answer, Hermione tentatively touched the woman's shoulder, and Rita mumbled something before snuggling deeper into the pillow. Hermione released a suffering sigh and climbed in bed, magically shutting the drapes again. She'd deal with the woman in the morning.

* * *

"Harry! There he is…"

"Our favourite angsty teen!"

Harry closed his eyes briefly and sent a prayer for patience to above before he turned around to face two identical grins. Surprisingly enough, they weren't the only ones there. Charlie and Mr Weasley stood slightly behind them, one at ease and one clearly wishing to be somewhere else. Harry knew though that even if Mr Weasley had agreed to stay Neutral, Marvolo wanted him under constant surveillance, which meant that if he had to go anywhere, he'd have to go with one of his children that were trusted by the Dark.

Harry smile faltered when he saw that the twins weren't quite as identical as they had been before. "What happened?" he asked one of them, eyeing the bandage around the other's head.

"Oh, you know, my ear got blown off. Smashing curse, that was. Also, now people can finally keep us apart! George here, in case you didn't know. Of course you didn't know." George said cheerfully. At least I won't have to worry about Bill trying to convince me to pierce my ears anymore!"

"It's not something to joke about boys," Mr Weasley said in a tired voice.

"Look on the bright side, he still has a nose!" Fred threw in. A dry cough sounded from the doorway and the grins immediately faltered. "Not… Not that not having a nose isn't sexy, My Lord," Fred hastened to say.

"I have a nose," Marvolo bit out, and irritation flowed through the link, making Harry wince before his lover shot him an apologetic look and the emotions calmed somewhat. "It's just flat," the man muttered, almost sulkily, making Harry smile. "What are you doing here?"

"We came to collect our little brother. He's needed in the shop."  
"Yeah, the puking pastilles don't sell nearly as well… "  
"Ron isn't there anymore to test them on in public as free publicity you see."  
"He was also handy to test love potions on."  
"I mean, the potions really had to be extremely strong,"  
"If we wanted a girl to fall for him."

Harry laughed. It was so typical for the Twins to use their poor brother like that. Harry had honestly no clue how Ron and Ginny had survived past their fifth birthday with everything the Twins got up to and the pranks they pulled. Somehow, it made him feel a little better about not having had brothers. On the other hand, he'd much rather preferred his hair being turned green than being beaten up by Dudley's gang…

"Don't be mean," Harry said, shaking his head, also to clear it of the depressing thoughts. "And also, Ron has been promoted. He'll be far too busy to return to the shop, sorry. It's been kind of a fast development." There was no little amount of pride in his voice. He really liked that Ron had finally found a place where he seemed to be happy. He knew that it had bothered his friend a lot that he didn't seem to be able to do anything useful, so hopefully this would cheer him up.

Also, it was good to have Ron back in the house. Marvolo had decided that, if Ron was going to be his main strategist, he should be available at all times, and had once more offered him a place in the manor. This time Ron's room was a lot further from theirs than previously the case, after shocking the poor boy horribly a few times when they just about could not make it to their room in the heat of the moment and snogged in the corridor.

"Promoted? Our little brother?" George asked with curiousity. "To what, head poison-taster?"  
"We all know he'd love that job…"  
"Free food, high risk."

Harry sighed, his fun mood fading as he narrowed his eyes on them. "Head-strategist, actually. And oh, don't give me those surprised looks, you all know that Ron's brilliant at that. Give him some credit for once yeah? I know, I know, he's your little brother and you love teasing him and yes he has some annoying habits but he's not a kid anymore, and I am proud to have my best friend once again at my side, fighting for what we all believe in, doing something he's insanely good at."

They fell quiet, one of the Twins shuffling his feet, both looking ashamed. "I'm glad," Mr Weasley said simply, a slight smile playing around his lips. "I'm afraid Ron always felt… under-appreciated in our family. I tried to make time for him but we had little in common regarding hobbies and interests. I am still not sure about where I stand… you killed my wife, the love of my life and the mother of my children and while I understand why you did so, I will never forgive that… But I know where Ron stands, I know where Charlie and my Twins stand… and I see them happy here, appreciated, loved, and I am proud of that they found their hard-fought place in this world." He turned to his children, who were looking at him as if seeing him for the first time, and harry was severely impressed. Arthur had always been quiet, never quite speaking out his own opinion, which had constantly been overshadowed and overruled by Molly's.

"Dad… Thank you," Charlie finally managed to say, his voice trembling with emotion. These past months… I knew that I was doing the right thing, but still a voice in my head kept nagging me about how this was not what you'd have wanted me to do. How I was betraying my family… I had virtually no news from this world except for mom's letter, so I had no idea that George, Fred and Ron had joined the dark… What about the others actually? I'm sure Percy is still being a Ministry-prat, but what about Bill and Ginny?"

"Ginny is at Hogwarts, oblivious to everything going on, hopefully," Harry responded. "She'd better concentrate on schoolwork… I mean, Ron participating in the war, okay, but Ginny?"

"You, dear friend,"  
"Have clearly never seen her duelling." The Twins said, shaking their heads.  
"She's badass. Real badass."

Harry shrugged. "I wouldn't know… I've always kind of tried to avoid her ever since she got here because the stalking became too creepy. Remember the Harry-club she and Creevey had set up with their highest goal of the day to get a picture of me? And after her crush died down the habit stuck I guess. Apart from sometimes seeing her in the common room I hardly interacted with her. She's hardly the first one I'd go sharing war-plans with, even if she's your sister."

"Harry-club?" Marvolo asked, acid lacing his voice.

"Yeah basically they were my biggest fans and wanted autographs and pictures, and Lockhart didn't do much to make it better. And then I had to save her from the bloody chamber because of your Basilisk and H- cursed diary… I'm actually surprised that her fangirl-tendencies died down after, I had expected them to increase."

~Maybe she'd noticed you staring at a certain young me for far too long before saving her?~ his lover hissed, smirking.

"She was unconscious, don't flatter yourself love. She probably just grew up, or fell in love with someone else. Why are we even having this conversation? Half her family is in the room and she's not even here. Fred, George, did you come here only for Ron or…"

"Ah, no, we also have furthered our idea with having electrical devices run on manipulated magic. We've been able to make the magic more refined so it also works on delicate devices like cellphones. We have not risked a computer yet but… it seems to work with the phone."

"So, it is indeed highly possible to have every Muggle device run on magic in the end instead of electricity?"

"Yes," Fred said, nodding his head feverously. "Absolutely, My Lord."

"Good… Very good, this will be a major point when we start speaking to the Muggle Government, right after the elections have been held. And Charlie? Why are you here? Are the dragons not happy with the current arrangement?"

"On the contrary, My Lord," Charlie said, bowing slightly. "I came here on their behalf to express their thanks. You have been most generous, allowing the dragons to camp on your grounds and in the forest. It is less ideal than the mountains were, but we would be too far away if we were needed, and as the Christmas holidays are over, we might have been discovered if we had waited too long. Several of the dragons can speak Parsel, however, or at least a dialect of it, and they said they would be honoured to converse with you."

"And how exactly are you aware of the dragon's exact wishes?" Marvolo asked curiously. Harry had to admit that he was burning to know as well. Could Charlie actually speak with dragons?

"Two of the herd can speak human tongue. One rudimentary, and she does not see the need in improving it, and then there is Xaphia, who is learning more every day. From what he told me, Norberta transferred her knowledge to him, and he picked up from there."

"Dragons speaking human tongue…" Marvolo muttered. "I haven't heard of such a thing in all my travels. "What language, Romanian?"

"English, actually. She was apparently raised at the grounds of Hogwarts and her keeper tried to teach her. She did not appreciate it much, but I am glad for it." Harry snorted at that. He could just about see Hagrid pointing repeatedly at things and pronouncing them slowly while the dragon looked at him with disinterest.

_Hagrid?_ Marvolo asked incredulously, picking up his thoughts.

_Yeah... always a soft spot for highly dangerous creatures… Follow the spiders and everything will be alright… sure._

_I'm glad you followed the snakes in the end,_ Marvolo commented, throwing him an amused look. Then, he turned to Charlie once more. "Tell them I shall be there tomorrow. I have a busy schedule already today, and I would like to take my time for it. Fred, George, I want a detailed report of your findings. Charlie, give my best regards to the dragons. They have my full permission to hunt any game in the forest that hasn't run away yet, and if there is not enough, ask my house-elves for supplies."

"Thank you for your generosity and hospitality, My Lord," Charlie said, dipping his head before turning and striding towards the doors again, followed by his brothers. Arthur lingered behind for a moment, looking as if he had something to say. Harry cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow.

The man cleared his throat awkwardly and spoke: "I know the Order said awful things about you Harry, and I am ashamed to admit that I sometimes participated in their slander in the heat of the moment, feeling bitter about you leaving us. But I do not feel that anymore, for I now know that you did what you perceived as right, not just to spite the Order. I have often regarded you as a son whenever you stayed with us, and while I don't think you ever saw me as a father, I felt I was and I feel like I have failed you. Please let me make that up to you. You deserve people who care about you."

"I'm surrounded by people who care about me now," Harry smiled, wrapping an arm around Marvolo's waist. He felt smugness radiating from the other man and looked up to the face he'd come to love so much again, smiling before looking back at Mr Weasley. "But I wouldn't mind you being added to that group." The man beamed at him and tapped against the small, odd hat he was wearing that made him look like an oversized Muggle garden gnome, apart from a lack of fat and beard. Then, the man ran out of the door to catch up with his sons.

"So… busy schedule?" Harry inquired. "I didn't think you had anything planned for today?"

"I actually do, though they are no obligations. I just felt that… well, with everything going on, we have not had a moment of peace. Between preparations for war, battling, your hospitalisation and my talks with many members of the Weasley family we have not had any time to ourselves. In the face of more duties and battles, I wanted to have at least one relaxing day. I cannot take you out of the country this time, it would be far too dangerous to go abroad with the current state of things, but there are enough nice and quiet places in Britain." Harry beamed at him.

"Thank you! I feel as if we've hardly spent any time together at all these past weeks."

"Perhaps because we didn't," Marvolo answered regretfully. "And I hate to say it, but we probably won't in the next few weeks either. Not only are the elections coming, but a global war as well. I suspect we will both be busy… Which reminds me actually, how are your sessions with Narcissa going?"

Harry shrugged. He had not made much progress, but then again, he'd only gone thrice as there had been so little time. The drawing was helping, he thought. Right before bed he always made a drawing while thinking of the Dursleys, and after the first initial violent drawings, it had gradually included darker colours. Narcissa thought he was going through the phases of his life with the Dursleys, first drawing out the most prominent, the violence, and now he was moving towards the depressions that followed. He had not had any more nightmares and bouts of illnesses, but he was not sure about whether or not it was because of the therapy or not. After all, before he had also sometimes gone weeks or months without any nightmares. Well, at least, even if he would have, Marvolo had made sure the whole house was covered in spells that prevented germs from entering.

"They're alright, I've only had three so far so there's not much to be said about it yet. I'll see. But so… taking me out again… a date?"

"If you want to word it like that," the man said nonchalantly, but Harry could feel he was pleased.

"You could try showing some more of the enthusiasm I know you're feeling, love. Where were you planning on taking me?"

"Depends on what sort of date you want."

Harry took a moment to think about it. Not being given any options was a bit annoying, so he decided to just fall back on his past experiences with dates… a great number of two."Hmm… I really loved it when you took me to Brazil and I learnt a lot about our history… can you take me someplace I'll learn more about magic while at the same time relaxing? Also, a romantic dinner is never unwelcome," Harry smirked. He had absolutely loved last time, which seemed ages away… He still remembered the man's joke about a proposal, and he rubbed the ring on his left hand gingerly, the silver shining.

"Getting demanding, love?" Marvolo chuckled, running his fingers through Harry's hair. "But I know just the place… I still needed to pay the dwarfs a visit to thank them for their help during the battle. We might as well make a trip out of it, their underground palaces are absolutely stunning, spreading out far under the moors."

"I find it funny that you deny having friends but are welcomed with open arms wherever we go in the non-human communities." The teen remarked, smiling. He had to admit that the idea of visiting the dwarfs was appealing though. Ever since his third year, Lupin had roused his interest for creatures and non-human beings. Their culture was bound to be interesting.

"They're **acquaintances**."

"I'm sure. When do you want to go?"

"Now, preferably. No need to pack clothes, they would be offended if you brought your own things, as it would show you don't trust their hospitality."

"Not even underwear?"

Marvolo chuckled and threw Harry a lecherous grin. "They don't wear underwear… and neither will you."

"So there's the real reason you're taking me there," the boy said, shaking his head. Marvolo seemed slightly disappointed that the comment hadn't thrown him off, but he was long used to Marvolo's perverted comments being thrown around to blush about them."You're horrible. Will the snakes come as well?"

"No, Nagini would only make constant remarks about eating the little furry people. They remind her of prey too much. Also, a short lesson in dwarf etiquette: praising someone's armor or weapons will always put you in good light, praising the other clan or even mentioning it in good light not so much. Don't be quiet, it is seen as being secretive so please be your Gryffindor self, and if someone whacks you, whack them back with just as much strength. Hmm... what else… during dinner only sit down when the rest does. Seats usually don't matter, but guests sometimes get appointed seats. Oh, and finish your first drink in one go, no matter what it is, the drinks after that don't matter."

Harry's head spun a bit from all that information, and he tried to tick it off of his fingers, hoping he would remember anything. "That was everything?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes. We don't exactly have time to give you a crash course in Dwarfish, and you won't be required to speak it."

"Won't a few phrases be handy? What's hello? Or sorry?" He could hardly arrive there looking like an idiot who had not even tried to learn a bit about them before intruding upon their home, expecting them to be able to all speak perfect English.

"_Ta shiu cheet_ means well met. For 'sorry' there are two forms, depending on how polite you want to be. To a common dwarf, use _s'treih lhiam_, if you offend the king somehow or an elder, use _s'olk lhiam._ If you want to know the three forms of 'thank you' as well, ranked by politeness?"

"Erhm… You know what I'll just stick to English and won't speak a word Dwarfish, then I can't mess up politeness forms. It might offend them even more," He answered, foregoing his previous idea. The language sounded far complicated than he'd thought already, and he was not sure if he was even able to pronounce certain syllables correctly.

"Very wise. Let us go."

"Don't you need an invitation?"

Marvolo gave him an incredulous look. "Love, when do I ever need an invitation for anything?"

* * *

Next chapter: Dwarves, dragons and goblins... oh my, certainly a lot to be written. Also, Hermione seems to be rather confused over all her feelings... Being a teenage girl sucks.  
I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Read and Review!  
xx


	45. Part II Chapter XX

Visitor chapter 45

Hello everyone.. well, quick update compared to how long I usually take.. :P I tied to fit the three scenes in here that I promised, I really did... but I was wirting the first and it got longer and longer until it had 7000 words so I decided to call it quits for now. Dragons and Goblins in next chapter, pinky promise! Also Charlie/Xaphia because it's the most loved side pairing...

I do not own the dwarven language, which consists of a combination of two dictionaries I found online, and welsh for all words that were not covered in there. For a translation of everything written in Dwarfish, scroll down to the end of the chapter.  
Also, I chose the plural word Dwarfs rather than Dwarven, as it's what Rowling also used, and which is a word that has been popular since old times until Tolkien used Dwarven and other writers took that words over.

Enjoy

* * *

It was amazing, absolutely amazing, and despite Marvolo describing the Dwarven palace to him, Harry had never expected it to look like** this**. He should have known… While Goblins liked to hoard gold, Dwarfs preferred to spend it or turn it into beautiful items, the wide spaces filled with beauty and lit by an intricate network of mirrors to have the sunlight reach down here. It was so strange, to know such a thing existed beneath the plain moorlands in the south-west of England, and Harry wondered why it had never been discovered, or was talked about even amongst wizards.

Dwarfs bustled through the halls, loud and cheerful, women and men wearing a mismatch of armour and plain cloth –although their gender was a bit hard for Harry to distinguish as they both had facial hair.- A very peculiar thing was that many of them wore animal masks, usually of hares or goats. He'd seen Dwarfs before, when Lockhart had made them sing valentine songs and dressed them up as angels, but those had looked nothing like the cheerful bunch he saw now. He sent the image to Marvolo, whose mouth curled in amusement.

_The other clan, the mountain Dwarfs of Scotland. Perhaps you could mention the other clan in__** that**__ context, although it wouldn't do any good if they got wind of that._

_Probably better not then._

Marvolo hummed and picked up his pace a bit while Harry was still looking around at everything there was to see. They had arrived at some sort of market, where most of the food being sold seemed to be meat, mushrooms and several kinds of roots and tuber vegetables. Harry knew he should not keep comparing them to Goblins in his mind, for they would be seriously offended if he did let that slip, but he could not help himself. This society was so very different and yet similar at the same time.

The architecture was alike, the sense of a collectivistic society penetrated every part of the palace, and their love for the underground and precious metals and gems was also part of both cultures. Harry decided he distinctively liked dwarfs more though, at first glance. They did not have such a haughty air around them, possibly because they had never really been at war with wizards, keeping to themselves and having plenty of wars between the two kingdoms already. He also vaguely remembered something about Dwarfs fighting Goblins but he wasn't too sure about that one. It could have been something he'd dreamt about when nodding off in History of Magic to the droning of Binn's voice, his dreams often starring the subject the ghost was speaking of, but in a completely different context.

The halls made way for long, wide tunnels that went deeper into the ground, the mirrors no longer used here, perhaps because of the angle, torches instead lighting up the earthen walls, a pattern of thin golden lines covering them as if the sun hit a cobweb. After what seemed like ages for Harry, the tunnel ended at the start of a long bridge, two sturdy dwarfs with axes as large as themselves guarding it.

"_Za Voldemort… Ta shiu cheet."_ The left Dwarf spoke, more emotionless than Harry had seen any other Dwarf till now.

"_Ta shiu cheet, Ut anad ard-reiltagh cheet."_ Marvolo answered fluently, something for which Harry admired him greatly. Was there really anything this man** couldn't **do? He tried to pick up the meaning through the link, but Marvolo could not speak and translate for Harry at the same time, so all he could receive were the emotions he was feeling, which currently wasn't much.

"_Cre hon_?" one of the Dwarfs answered, narrowing his eyes and gripping the axe a bit tighter, the tip suddenly threateningly leaning forwards, though minimally enough to not be considered an outright threat.

"_Tìodhlac_ an _tìodhles. Kazak y conees an goit lesh bwooise"  
_

"_Tìodhlac?"_

"_Frorl. Gorak Frorl."_

The Dwarf looked excited at the answer, and then his eyes fell on harry. "_Brogach yw sy'n_?"

"_Fi ban-chéile"_ Marvolo answered, his voice suddenly growing icy. The Dwarf's eyes widened and he suddenly lost all warmth too, a hostile look in his eyes. Stiffly, he stepped back and made a jerky gesture. The other dwarf did the same, throwing a disgusted look at the both of them before muttering '_Awane.'_

"_Mynd i mewn agus gadael." _The first Dwarf said, a wave of fury hitting Harry through the link at the words.

"What's the matter?" Harry whispered when they were past the Dwarfs, Marvolo nearly dragging Harry along.

"I forgot… I never needed to mention it here before so I forgot how exactly they see homosexuality until the moment they asked about you. They're worse than most Muggles. I should not have brought you here… Well, the King is a personal… alright** friend** of mine, and I think he knows my preferences so hopefully he will not treat our relationship with as much contempt as those guards did. Dwarfs are a highly infertile species, and not bringing forth even one child in a lifetime is the highest sin possible. Therefore, gays are looked upon with contempt, just like Dwarfs who turn out to be completely infertile, and are often banished. And while that should of course only reflect on their own society, they treat homosexuals of other species the same, regardless of the fact that humans breed more than enough children already to make up for the people who don't. When I told him that you were my spouse, one of them muttered 'foul' and the one I was speaking to insulted me by telling me something that roughly translates to 'Enter and leave', meaning that I should do my business as quickly as possible to not further contaminate this place."

"Should only reflect on their own society? It shouldn't happen at all!" Harry said, outraged. "Being infertile or gay isn't exactly a choice, so why should they make those people suffer from it? Also, gays can still have kids, can't they?"

"Their medical technology is very limited, and they never wanted to learn from other species."

"Then their ignorance is** their** fault."

"Yes, but we cannot force them to acknowledge or change that. We are a completely different species and have no say in their society. It is frustrating, but true. I am in no position to try and overthrow the Dwarfs, just like I can't suddenly order Centaurs around."

"Neither should they have a say in our lives then. I will not treat you like any less than my lover only because it might offend them."

"I had not expected you to," Marvolo smiled, placing a hand atop his head. "However, there is a large grey area between going out of your way to not show it and pushing it in their faces." Harry scowled a bit at that, but understood what the man meant.

They had reached the end of the bridge, and in his foul mood Harry had completely forgotten to look over the edge to see what exactly they were walking over. Well, he figured he'd do so later, but the sounds made him suspect that there was water underneath.

Rather than the whole cave serving as a hall, there was actually a small castle of sorts built in it, an odd structure that became broader as it grew higher, connecting to the walls and ceiling even though the base was only half as large as the cave, completely surrounded by what Harry now saw was a cleft. A broad door, this time without guards, permitted entrance to the structure and led to a small courtyard from which several doors could be seen, the utmost centre opposite of the entrance being wide open and revealing a sort of elevator with a wooden basket and cables.

They stepped in, the elevator moving instantly by some sort of intricate mechanism Harry couldn't figure out, or perhaps it was Dwarven magic. Upstairs, they got out and walked over a beautiful bridge that spanned over a massive gap before finally arriving where they had to, a hallway with a large throne in the middle that was slightly** too** gold and elaborately decorated to Harry's tastes. The king was not at all as Harry had imagined. He'd expected an old, rather fat dwarf, but the one sitting on the throne was, albeit old, definitely fit, and clad in beautiful battle-armour that showed off his muscles.

_Harry, I swear, if you will fall for an over-aged dwarf I will kill you._

_Well, it's not like you are so young,_ he replied in good humour._ Besides, I have no intention of going after a homophobe._

Marvolo had no time to react, as the king rose from his throne with a fluid motion. _"Za Voldemort!_" he spoke on a jovial tone, a wide grin splitting his face."_Croeso_!"

"_Ard-reiltagh Clagh,"_ the man replied, dipping his head slightly. He then glanced back at Harry and looked at the king again. "_Mi_ a_nfoesgarwch_ _maith_, _my bailliu, bar…gallut umgi a iaith bin ymlaen?"_

The king raised an eyebrow. "A highly unusual request, coming from you," he spoke, startling Harry with English that sounded just as fluent as Marvolo's Dwarfish had sounded. Were all people here miracle linguists? "I take it that the one you brought with you does not know our tongue?"

"Indeed."Marvolo said, not further commenting on it. "I came here to express my thanks for your help a few days ago, in the form of magical Frorl." He dug in his pockets and withdrew a small satchel. "It is not bottomless, but here is enough in here to give every single one of your people a piece. It has been exposed to the fumes of a potion called Felix felicis, granting the one who drinks it luck. While I cannot offer it in liquid form, some of it has settled on the gold, and the bearer of such a coin will find that his enemy will miss more often."

"I am intrigued…" the king said, getting up from his throne. "We fought because we wanted to fight for our rights, not for rewards… but it is most definitely welcome."

"Just don't let the other clan know," Marvolo said, flashing a grin, to which he got ne in return.

"Ah, favouritism? That will teach the old fool with his army of grumpy gnomes. I'll keep it a secret. Only my most trusted will know who brought this gold. The rest can only speculate. Now, let us feast!" He clapped his hands and several young dwarves came running in, looking odd with their faces yet devoid of long beards, having either stubble or, in the case of the women, a sort of fluff. The differences between them seemed to be a lot more distinctive when they were younger. The King gave a few instructions and they were gone again, most likely to prepare. "Do you have any requests, _Za_?"

"Perhaps to replace one of your guards," Marvolo said, making Harry raise his eyebrows. Hadn't the man just told him to not push it in people's faces? Or did Marvolo know the king so well that he thought he would not care?

"Why?"

"He insulted me. _Mynd i mewn agus gadael,_" he spat, repeating the words the guard had spoken. The king looked shocked.

"What possessed him?"

Marvolo did not immediately answer, beckoning Harry closer, who took his hand and let himself be pulled against Marvolo's side. "He felt it necessary to reflect some aspects of your culture on us. I did not know that was how guests are treated here commonly?" The King sucked in his breath, looking torn, a hint of disgust entering his eyes, but obviously struggling with his friendship to Marvolo.

"I never knew you were…" he finally spoke.

"And it should not matter. I am no Dwarf," his lover spoke on an icy tone, looking the king in his eyes, who gave a hard stare back. They seemed to battle for a while, the grip of Marvolo's fingers digging in Harry's shoulders. At long last, the King averted his eyes.

"You are right, of course," he muttered. "You are human, and deserve the same respect you have always had. I am quite sure, however, that not everyone in the court will agree."

"You are their king, tell them off."

"I will remind them of our rules of hospitality, but no more than that," was the answer. "And only for the sake of an old friendship. What possessed** you**?" Harry gulped as white-hot rage went through him, and suddenly he'd had enough, stepping forwards with narrowed eyes.

"Love possessed him," he spoke, jabbing his finger at the king. "And that is all that should matter. I don't mean to tell you what to do, but frankly, exiling someone for who they fall for is just as stupid as exiling someone for having crooked fingers, or having mismatching eye colour. I suppose you don't know much about genes, but it's not something people can just 'get over,' just like you can't get over being infertile. And banishing those people is even viler. They already can't get kids and are probably heart-broken over that. And you make them feel even more ashamed? It sickens me!"

Both Marvolo and the Dwarf king had gone absolutely silent at Harry's tirade. The King's next words, however, came completely unexpected.

"Well… I do understand why you chose him as your partner. He's feisty." Harry nearly gawked, while Marvolo shook his head silently, a small grin breaking through his previously angry expression.

"He sure is."

"I am not going to change the ways of my race… but I will... respect your relationship and expect the rest of the court to do so as well. Also… I'll think upon your words," he said quietly, staring out of one of the windows, pensively stroking his beard.

"Maybe it's also good to take into consideration that homosexuality has been found in hundreds of species, from birds to mammals"

"Truly?" the king asked, looking shocked. "Still, we are no animals… Also, I do not wish to discuss this further right now. The feast is ready. Both of you will sit close to me… As my left side is already reserved for my wife, I wished to place you, _Za_ Voldemort, or my right, but if you want to place your… partner in between us so he is on your left side? That would also protect him from unwanted attention. It is rare for humans to come down here, and as a human's seed is more fertile than a dwarf, interracial marriages are since shortly not only accepted but celebrated. This way none of the spots next to him are free for the young _càireags_ intent on getting his attention."

Marvolo blinked, and Harry could feel surprise flowing through the link at the offer. "Thank you…"Harry said. "That is most considerate. Even if I were single I am not exactly attracted to women."

"I'd figured," the king muttered, making a face. "But let us go down to the dining hall, Everyone should have gathered there now."

Still a bit miffed at the Dwarf, Harry didn't speak, only pointedly locked hands with his love. Marvolo gave him a look, which Harry just challenged with a raised eyebrow. For all his saying of not provoking, Marvolo** was** the one who had started the whole thing with the King in the first place, so he was hardly one to talk.

It was odd, but the moment they were in the dining hall, Harry instantly felt more relaxed. Dwarfs from all walks of life had gathered here, from elderly council members and rich traders to miners and farmers. They made for a colourful bunch, and he felt a lot more of ease here, the feeling he'd had on the markets returning. A bunch of even tinier dwarfs flocked to him suddenly, looking up with wide eyes, gibbering in their own language, giving him expectant and hopeful looks.

"Erhm… hello?" he said awkwardly, nervously rubbing his already messy hair. They shouted in excitement at his answer and one even tried to climb upon his lap when he sat down, but the little guy slowly slid off of it and then started to sulk a few yards away because of the wrathful stare of one Dark Lord who took his own chair. Everyone suddenly dove in, clinking their tankards together. Remembering Marvolo's earlier explanation, he tried to down his in one go, finishing the strong ale with difficulty, having only ever had Butterbeer before and a swig out of a Firewhisky bottle Ron had stolen from one of his older brothers and shared the last bit of with Harry. Marvolo seemed to suddenly realise this as well, concern flowing through the link as Harry finally put his tankard down, swaying a bit, his head light from the alcohol on an empty stomach.

_Don't give me that look,_ he said, his head a bit fuzzy. _If I'm old enough for sex, then I should be old enough for alcohol._

_That logic is flawed. Sex doesn't damage your brain cells._

_Are you sure?_ Harry teased._ My mind tends to go rather blank whenever you shove your cock up my arse._

_You just wait till this night and we'll see how well your brain cells are holding, yes?_ His lover replied, tone and eyes darkening considerably while Harry discreetly covered his lap by pulling his robes a bit upwards, pulling the fabric towards his crotch. It wouldn't do for people to notice his growing hard-on.

_Contain yourself till then, at least?_

_I'll try love… I'll try._

Half-way through the meal, Harry decided that he actually very much liked Dwarfs in general. They were curious to the world above and magic, and loved to talk about their own culture whenever asked for details. Harry's head swam with stories already from the people sitting nearby, who didn't seem deterred at all by the fact that he was sitting in between the two most powerful men in the room. He wondered if people had been informed about his relationship with Marvolo, as they didn't seem surprised that he was here and neither did they question him about it, but he found out that wasn't the case when a bunch of daring girls came closer, stroking the tufts of hair on their chins, two of the girls pushing another one forwards. Harry supposed she was rather pretty for Dwarven standards. She was plump and curvy, quite pleasing to the eye, though the shy fluttering of her eyelashes that covered doe-like eyes was a bit too much, even if he'd preferred the other sex.

"H'Llo,"she said with a thick accent. "I heurd yo-er name is Harry?"

"Yeah. Pretty much," he said, feeling awkward and glaring at Marvolo who seemed amused. Git. Wasn't he supposed to hold girls off? "And you?"

"Frongol," she answered, a wide smile on her face. "It's a foengi." It took Harry several seconds to process that she was named after fungi.

"Right. Brilliant. Erhm, I take it your parents like mushrooms then?" He nearly slapped himself in the face. Smooth Harry, really, what kind of question was that? He really wasn't good at this whole girl-business.

"'hey're Frongol farmers."

"Well, if all the Frongol they've bred are as nice as the one before me they certainly much be rich," he said, a second later wondering why he was born with a mouth at all. Instead of looking insulted though, her face became even brighter.

"'hat is 'he nicest 'hing I've ever been told!" she said, clapping her hands in delight. He remembered Lucius' lessons just in time to not gape. Wow. Well, it seemed Dwarven girls were not as quickly offended as human girls then. "I coeld show yoe the farm after 'he Feast?"

"Uhm, I'm sorry, I'll be kind of busy then… another time?"

"Is 'hat a date?"

Straightforward much. Helplessly, he looked over to Marvolo, who had recovered from laughing at his awkwardness and snuck and arm around Harry's shoulder. "Nai, garaz caile, mynd ar goll," he spoke calmly, his tone polite, though by the way her face fell instantly, an angry blush at her cheeks, Harry figured that what had been said was the furthest thing from polite. Without another word, she turned on her heel, hair swooping around her.

"What did you say?" Harry said, bewildered. "Marvolo, what did you say to make her react like that? You weren't being an asshole, were you?" he asked, worried. It had not been his intention to have the girl humiliated, though if the faces of the rest of the people who had followed the conversation were anything to go by, that was exactly what had happened.

"I simply told her to leave," he answered nonchalantly. "I also may have called her a whore."

"Marvolo!" he hissed. "If ou don't want to be insulted by them, then make sure you don't insult others as well!"

"She insulted me by trying to seduce you in the first place," was the irritated retort. "With me sitting right** next** to you, no less."

"Well how would **she** know!"

"_Ard-reiltagh _Clagh informed his staff, who informed the rest. She knew perfectly well you were not available and was trying to 'convert' you." Marvolo stiffly said. Harry glanced at the king, who sat next to Harry, but who did not pay them any attention whatsoever, talking enthusiastically with a few wild-looking Dwarfs, making wide hand gestures, oblivious to anything else.

"But everyone is so nice…"

"The ones who are against it merely sat further away, out of respect for the King and their customs regarding guests… the majority." At that revelation, Harry sighed deeply, his mood going down a bit again until one of the Dwarfs leaned over the table.

"Hey, just leave them sulking there. Not all of us are a bunch of bigoted pricks you know. My brother fell for a lad… I defended him to the end I did! Didn't help much, he still got banished, but I occasionally visit him still. Has to live above ground… don't know how he does it… but he found a nice couple of rocks to build his home in so I suppose it's not so bad, and his lovely lives with him."

Harry smiled at that. "I'm glad that they're still together. Trouble shared is trouble halved after all."

"That's a nice expression… I'll have to remember that one."

"And the rest of you?" Harry asked curiously. Some shrugged and said they didn't care, some had family or friends who had been banished, and other just looked uncomfortable, making it not hard for Harry to guess they were gay themselves but still in the closet, or whatever the Dwarven equivalent of that would be. He smiled when knowing he could at least expect no criticism or hateful glances from these people.

Sadly, the feast seemed to be coming to an end, the food having mostly disappeared into hungry stomachs. Unlike the banquets he was used to, everything from soup till dessert had been placed on the table at the start, not in courses, and he was full to the brim. The Dwarfs got up in clusters, the friendly group Harry had spent his time talking to lingering a bit before also finally leaving the hall. Harry pondered on the conversations he'd had, his head spinning with all the new information. Why didn't they learn more about Dwarfs in History of Magic?

"I don't want to overstay our welcome here…" He suddenly heard Marvolo say, and he looked up, noticing that his lover had not spoken to him, but was looking at the King, who wore an oddly grim smile .

"You will not. I have long considered you my friend… During dinner I did much thinking upon the topic… You have not changed, you probably preferred men before I knew of it, and during that time I also liked you. You are welcome under my roof for as long as you like. I will ask you though, to not provoke my people by bringing your lover again."

"My apologies… When I did decide to take him here I had not realised how it would look… I had not even realised how the general view here is on same-sex relationships, and only remembered when talking to your guard on the bridge. In our society it's considered normal, so I didn't think much of it."

"Apologies accepted." The Dwarf King grunted. "For now though, enjoy your stay… both of you. Now you're here anyways you might as well make it a nice trip. If you're interested in animals, you could visit the stables. Beware of the dragon though as you roam around. Dangerous creature, ancient too, and he doesn't seem to want to move to another place, now and then coming into the caves when he's hungry for a snack… We try to keep it happy so it won't go rampage…"

"A dragon, you say?" Harry inquired, curious. "Here? I thought they preferred mountains, not caves beneath the earth…"

"Most do, but this piece of hellish demon decided it liked to live near a food source… us.''

"I know someone who's good with dragons… if you want, I could ask him to pay you a visit…" Harry said. "He might be able to convince it to live somewhere else. We currently have a hoard of dragons living on our grounds, but after the battles are over I'm sure they'll want to find a more suitable place to live. We might as well seek your dragon a new home as well."

The King looked at him, his hand stroking his beard thoughtfully. "That's not a bad idea," he finally said. "But why would he help us out?"

"He's a personal friend of mine… Also, he's a follower of Marvolo, so he can just command Charlie to do so." The king looked confused for a moment, before he threw Marvolo a strange look.

"From the context I understand that he is referring to you?" he asked curiously.

"Ah. Yes," the man answered. "Harry tends to forget that my real names aren't very well known. Like they should be," he continued, glaring at his young lover, who winced slightly.

~Sorry, I keep forgetting. But really, even your friends only know you by 'Voldemort'?~ Harry hissed.

~Of course... I see no reason for them to call me by any other name. And switch back to English, this is horribly impolite.~ Harry merely shrugged at that.

~Didn't want the Dwarven King to think you admitted to having friends,~ he cheekily said, on which Marvolo rolled his eyes.

"Brat. _Ard-reiltagh Clagh_, I will personally see to it that my dragon keeper will visit you here. I could, of course, also try to communicate with it, but not all dragons can speak Parseltongue so it might be dangerous to try and get him out of his cave and ending up with having no way to calm him down."

"Very well… How is your dragon keeper going to accomplish this task though?"

"He taught one of his dragons human speech… I'm sure he is more than capable." The King's eyes widened at that, and Harry was sure he was pretty impressed.

"That is… quite an accomplishment," the Dwarf said quietly. "I will see. Now, I shall retire to my chambers, and bid you to do the same. We have to rise early again after all. Will I see you at breakfast?"

"Most likely not. I tend to rise much later than Dwarfs are used to… We won't leave without a word though, and I do plan on showing Harry some more of the caves tomorrow morning. I do also have an appointment tomorrow though so we can't stay too long. Now, goodnight."

"_Nos da_,_ Za_ Voldemort, _Nos da_, _Za-Cariad," _While Harry had no idea what it meant, Marvolo's reaction was unmistakable, though someone who didn't know him as well as Harry did might not have seen any difference. But the straightening of his shoulders, the miniscule movement of cocking his head and the widening of his eyes told Harry he was shocked, even if the surprise had not flowed through the link.

"_Nos da_," Marvolo muttered, placing a hand at Harry's back, guiding him towards a corridor to the left that had been hewn into the rock, quite a long time ago judging by the stalactites –which he could finally tell apart from stalagmites- that hung from the ceiling. Harry stared in amazement as glow-worms lit up the tunnel, and Marvolo hushed him so they wouldn't startle the animals and lose their only source of light. Harry wondered how the boisterous Dwarfs had ever come up with such a system…

_What did he just tell you that surprised you so much?_ Harry asked, using the mind-link so he wouldn't have to make sound.

_He wished us both goodnight… but I was shocked at how he addressed you. Lord-lover… with which he basically recognised our relationship and indicated that he sees you as a full equivalent of what a Dwarven Lord or King would call his betrothed. I had not thought he would say something like that after his rant of before._

_That's... surprising. Is it that big of a deal though?_

_For him? Yes. Nothing he says is unpremeditated, unless his emotions are running high ._

Harry did not get a chance to answer as he was suddenly steered toward another short tunnel that ended in a round cave with three doors. "That is our bedroom," Marvolo said, pointing at the middle one while Harry admired the woodwork, hundreds of small golden ringlets hammered inside of it, making it look as if it moved in the flickering light of the two torches that hung on the opposite wall.

"And the other doors?"

"One leads to a bathroom, though it can also be accessed from the bedroom, the other one is a closet for cleaning supplies," Marvolo answered, placing his hand against the door. The ringlets all lit up blue for a moment and the doors swung open. It reminded Harry strongly of the Gringotts vaults and the doors that opened only under a Goblin's touch, but when he took in the room he forgot any other thought. For a place so deep in the earth it was surprisingly open and comfortable, and if the colouring hadn't been off he could have thought he was back in the Gryffindor common room, with a bed instead of a sofa. He smiled at the cosy bed and fluffy pillows and, with a laugh, jumped on it, snuggling into the warm blankets.

"You..." Marvolo said, shaking his head and sitting down on the edge of the bed, ruffling his hair. "It is a bit cramped as it's a single, queen size bed instead of what we're used to but…"

"I don't mind… it's large enough. And now I have an excuse to fall asleep on top of you," Harry smirked, running his hand suggestively over his love's, still sadly clothed, chest. His hand was grabbed tightly and Marvolo twisted his arm in such a way that Harry had no choice but to move a lot closer to avoid pain, ending up with his back pressed against his fiancé's front and and arms wound snugly around him, his wrist still held in a tight grip. "It's a bit hard to undress like this," Harry smirked, tipping his head back to look at the other.

"While I could easily disprove that statement by vanishing your clothes off of your body, I'd rather have a striptease… so I suppose I shall have to let you go," Marvolo replied, pressing a quick kiss to Harry's temple.

The teen gawked as he processed the words. "I'm not going to perform a fucking striptease! I-Ah!" He squeaked when a hand landed in his lap, curling around him and squeezing a bit too tightly.

"Aren't you?" the man breathed, a dangerous, teasing tone in his voice. Harry gulped quietly as the fingers dug into his flesh and he released a whimper as pain took over pleasure.

"You're evil…"

"So I've heard. In comparison to what I can do and have done though, this is absolutely** nothing**, love."

"You're in a sadistic mood all of a sudden…"

"State the obvious. I've wanted to kill a few dwarves today but sadly was unable to fulfill my murderous intent because they were our hosts. Now strip and put up a good show or I shall make you pay for it by torturing you with pleasure and pain for the remainder of the night."

Harry had no idea why that prospect turned him on so much… He definitely had to be crazy, because the words that should have sent him running only made his cock twitch with excitement. If he'd been a girl he would probably be leaking all over the place right now. He avoided Marvolo's burning, knowing gaze and dropped his flushed head, hiding his flaming cheeks with his hair, which had grown out quite a bit over the past months.

"No need to be embarrassed about being turned on by the thought love," he heard, the words muttered softly in his ear while the grip on his crotch became softer, gentler and far more pleasurable, the fingers stroking lightly over the material that hid him from view, nails now and then joining until Harry felt like he was on fire. "It's just the two of us… you don't have to hide." Harry made a soft, mewling sound that seemed to amuse Marvolo greatly, and a hand landed on his arse, pushing him a bit forward. Taking the hint, Harry climbed of of the bed, still not far enough past the point of caring to not be self-conscious about this, but far enough gone to go through with it anyways.

Slowly, he started swaying his hips, reminding himself of that this was** Marvolo**, who thought that whatever Harry did was sexy, whether he made a graceful dive on a broom or stumbled up the stairs… And judging by the arousal that nearly crashed through the link and left Harry breathless, he was doing something right with this. With an excruciating speed, he removed his cloak and outer robe, displeased by how much he was wearing. His shirt soon followed, and he prayed to the heavens in thanks for not having chosen one with buttons today. He smiled shyly at his lover, who lay lazily sprawled over the bed, his back against the pillows that were propped against the headboard to get a good view, one hand making slow, circular movements around his own nether regions.

Harry groaned at the sight, his eyes flashing in lust. He took a few steps towards the bed and bent over while removing his pants, his lips brushing the still hidden cock, the strong, unique scent of Marvolo already wafting off of the man, making Harry feel slightly light-headed.

"You're gorgeous," the man hoarsely said, a hand nestling its way into Harry's hair, gripping the locks tightly and pressing him against the other with more force. The teen nuzzled the warm robes and licked them, the shape of his lover's member becoming more prominent as the material became damp. "My pretty love…"

Harry's blush returned at the words, and he didn't answer, instead trying to push the robes out of the way until Marvolo grunted in annoyance and got up, making quick work of his clothing. Harry seized the opportunity to climb on the bed again and lay down on his stomach, his legs spread and his arms under him, a smirk appearing on his face when Marvolo's eyes landed on him again and a low, animalistic groan fell from his lips.

A hand drifted over his back, making him shiver and close his eyes, though the image of his love's form was burned on his eyelids, the lean, graceful figure that loomed over him with the promise of pleasure in his eyes. He felt goose bumps spread over his body despite the warmth as perfectly manicured nails raked over his back –something Harry had teased the man about more than once.-

Marvolo growled, most likely having caught that thought, hands suddenly gripping Harry's waist tightly, pinning him down before his love lowered himself on the teen's back, straddling him effectively. Harry bared his throat, shaking his head so his hair fell away from the skin, and the man practically dove down on it, teeth sinking into the flesh as hips grinded down on his arse. Harry moaned as hard, slick flesh slid in between his cheeks, and when he found a pair of fingers at his lips he sucked them In greedily, coating them with his saliva, thrilled already at the pleasure he knew he would receive from them.

He gasped as the man roughly pushed in, his hole stinging painfully for the first time in months at this stage during sex. He grimaced and elbowed the other to make his displeasure clear. A soft kiss was dropped at the base of his neck in apology and the other slowed down, slipping one finger out of him again to build it up more slowly. Harry released a deep sigh as he relaxed, starting to push back on the hand, soft moans and whines torn from his throat as the finger rubbed him from inside. He fisted the sheets when another hand found its way around his hips and curled around his cock, pumping it slowly.

"More," he finally gasped, jerking his arse backwards, and with a low chuckle, Marvolo pushed the other finger in again. "Such a lovely sight you make… All spread out over the bed for me…" The words made Harry shudder. Marvolo had slowly revealed some of his kinks during the past months, opening up more during sex, being himself without being afraid of what Harry would think of him, but he didn't know if he would ever get used to the running pervy commentary as they made love. He preferred sex to be mostly silent, usually too far gone to say anything coherent anyways, but he wasn't about to ruin the man's mood.

The fingers were pounding now and he arched off of the bed when they found his prostrate, the hand on his cock nearly painfully jerking him off, precum spilling on the sheets. "Inside," he choked, his whole body quivering.

"Beg for it," the man said, a wet, thing tongue tracing the shell of his ear. ~Beg your Lord to grant you mercy.~ Harry's eyes rolled upwards as the hissing words went from his ear straight to his groin. He was so close, so fucking close…

And then the weight was gone, the hands no longer on him, and he actually screamed in frustration, turning around furiously, not in a state to be reasoned with. He attacked the man behind him and pressed himself against the hard chest, licking and biting every piece of skin he could find. He made a choking noise when a hand was suddenly around his throat, squeezing until he couldn't breathe anymore, and he was pushed back down on the bed, his back hitting the blankets as he struggled to get some oxygen.

"I said… ~**beg**~

The teen took a huge gulp of air as his throat was released and he coughed a few times, his heart beating wildly. He had no idea what had gotten into the other… While they'd had rough sex before it had been nothing compared to this… and what frightened him most was how much he enjoyed this, enjoyed being completely dominated. He wondered where the limit of pleasure lay for him and he honestly didn't know.

"Please…" he rasped out when his breath had gone slightly back to normal. "Please Mar.. My Lord. I need you, I need you to take me, to fuck me until I can't stand, to fill me with your seed until I won't be able to take anymore… I'm yours… completely yours, so use me, fuck me, have me…" he choked, hoping it would satisfy his lover.

Marvolo's expression changed instantly, from cold and hard to something that reminded Harry of a hungry animal. "That will suffice," the man answered in a suddenly smooth, silky voice, and hands slid over his chest and trembling sides, softly caressing him and leaning over to press a sweet, gentle kiss to Harry's lips. The softness confused him, and just as he was thrown off, his legs were jerked open and Marvolo pressed in, taking him by surprise.

He cried out loudly, his spine bending in an impossible angle as the man thrusted into him, not giving him time to adjust, instead taking him just as roughly as he had begged for. He was very, very sure that he indeed wouldn't be able to stand without the help of some potions or spells… both of which he certainly wouldn't be receiving from Marvolo.

It took a pathetically short time for him to be back at the point of climaxing, and with a few more thrusts and strokes of those graceful fingers, he came violently, his sperm spurting over both their stomachs.

A tongue found its way into his mouth again while he couldn't move from the intensity of his orgasm, the man never ceasing his movements, wet slapping sounds and harsh pants the only thing Harry could hear. He spread his legs a bit wider, liking the feeling of the hardness moving inside of him despite being spent himself, and he rolled his hips upwards as well as he could, finding a slight reserve of energy. The other tensed suddenly and Harry was pulled upwards until he lay against the other's chest, sitting on his thighs. Arms wrapped tightly around him and his love rested his damp forehead on Harry shoulder as he thrusted upwards a few more times with difficulty before the teen felt fluid fill him, the wet sensation making him shiver in pleasure.

Completely exhausted, the man lowered Harry on the bed again, wrapping himself snugly around his fiancé, too tired to do anything else. Harry smiled and pressed a kiss to the man's brow, rubbing his cheek affectionately against the other's face. "That was… different," he muttered, smiling softly.

"I love you," Marvolo answered in a slightly slurred voice... "Now sleep… talk in morning."

Harry nodded, fully agreeing with that. He briefly touched the other's mind, smiling at how content it felt, and snuggled deeper into the arms of his love. Tomorrow would be an interesting say, but for now he had other things on his mind… Sleep being the first and foremost.

* * *

_Translation:_

Well met, we are going to meet the king.

_For what purpose?_

_To give a gift. To receive the help in the war with thanks._

_a gift?_

_Lucky gold. Magical lucky gold._

_Who is the boy?_

_My Spouse._

_'foul'_

_Enter and leave._

-

_Lord Voldemort! Welcome_

_King Clagh, please excuse my rudeness, but can we proceed in the human language_

-

_No, young wench, get lost._

-

_Goodnight, Lord Voldemort. Goodnight, Lord-lover_

* * *

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter... As I said before, definitely dragons in the next one, and Voldemort and Hermione going to Gringotts too...  
Read and Review! Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter..

xx GeMerope


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